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United Airlines is offering 20% off the 1st checked bag fee if you check-in online and pay the fee at United’s Web site (www.united.com) before January 31, 2009. They’ve also decided not to double the 2nd check bag fee as previously planned. [Cheapflights]
We understand that airlines have to bend over backwards to attract and retain lucrative business travelers. We get it. Sadly, it seems that some airlines are running out of obsequious language that manages not to be insulting to the “rest of us.”
WestJet recently sent out a survey to its readers to look at a list of $10 fees and respond which they were okay paying with. One of them was a $10 fee for not having to sit near screaming babies and small children. The airline also wanted to know if customers would be interested in $10 savings for putting up with or giving up certain things, like savings for not earning frequent flier miles or savings for having a seat that doesn’t recline. Brilliant business move or deceptive fare increase? Leave your thoughts in the comments.
Lifehacker’s readers voted on their 5 favorite, and sometimes, unsung, travel deal websites. Here’s what they came up with:
Last night, Southwest reduced airfare on 56 destination going to and from Minneapolis, starting March 9, 2009. Look for this to set off a nice pricewar that will benefit travelers’ pocketbooks. For instance, their new one-way between Minneapolis and Chicago will be $69. Farecompare’s Rick Seaney predicts that the legacy airlines will react by slashing prices, adding flights, and possibly dropping those dread 2 night minimum stay round trip fares in favor of straight one-ways. Rick says he’ll be posting a total airfare schedule rundown later today on his blog, rickseaney.com.
Could this be a sign of thawing in the hearts of United Airlines? They announced yesterday that after four months of crediting Mileage Plus members with actual miles flown instead of a minimum of 500, the airline will reinstate the old program for “elite” members.
The AP says that the new mergeriffic Delta will be adding a $15 fee for the first checked bag and $25 for the second checked bag when traveling domestically, which is consistent with Northwest’s existing policies.
US Airways is planning on copying JetBlue and start charging $7 for pillows and blankets. This is how we’re going to save the airline industry, with fees for not being cold? No wonder they’re in a tail-spin. [NYT] (Photo: Presidente)
Here’s an interesting situation. When babies fly domestically, they fly for free — but international flights require a ticket and, apparently, a huge fuel surcharge.
The Northwest Airlines/Delta merger is finally done, says the Chicago Tribune. The new airline will be called Delta and will be run by Delta CEO Richard Anderson. With 75,000 employees and $34 billion in revenue, it will be the US’s largest carrier.
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The price of jet fuel is down, but those fuel surcharges? Nope. They’re up. [USAToday] (Thanks, J!)
During the Delta airline flight I rode yesterday, I could swear that in the middle of it they started piping in the sound of a rainstorm. It sounded like one of those Amazon rain forest soundmakers, you know, the ones where it’s a piece of tree limb and you turn it upside down and the beads inside make a pleasant rain sound. Then again, I was sitting pretty far in the back, so maybe it was just the sound of the head emptying. Unfortunately I don’t suffer from synaesthesia and my auditory faculties don’t interfere with my olfactory ones.
There was an amusing little tangent in my conversation yesterday with an Orbitz rep when I went to change my ticket. Talking with her was the first time I’ve ever hinted to a telephone customer service rep that I write for The Consumerist.
Scott McCartney, who writes the WSJ’s Middle Seat column, says that airlines are starting to use these newfangled things called “computers” to work out all their scheduling demons — and while it’s good for business, travelers should expect fewer “off peak” cheap seats.
American Airlines has changed its mind about its liberal anti-porn-filtering policy and will, indeed, attempt to stop that guy in a trench coat from downloading naughty content.
Just found an extra deal for today from Sprint: Get a new Sprint phone line and get a free airline companion ticket, up to a $500 value. Get two tickets, up to a $1,000 value, with activation of a BlackBerry on a BlackBerry Plan or a Simply Everything Plan.
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Delta is selling airline tickets from New York City to Chicago for $79 each way. You must depart October 11th and return between October 13-14th. [TravelZoo via their Twitter feed]
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