What's up Airlines?


What's UP Airlines?

Most of you that know me are aware that I travel. A lot.  Sometimes I drive but I often fly.  I inherited my father's love of wanderlust and find that I typically take a long trip every year. 

On top of my travels, my mom fly's to Florida every year as she is a snowbird.  We used to drive but when the gas prices started going up it ended up being less expensive to fly back and forth. 

Then price of oil went through the roof and flight fares went up, and along with the increase fares airlines started to charge baggage fees.

Ahhhh, all those wonderful fees.....

At first it was $10 for a second bag, then $10 a first checked bag.  Next think was $10 if  you paid the baggage fee at booking or $20 at the gate. 

Then came baggage fee for carry on.  Wait a minute?  Carry on?  Yep.  But wasn't the baggage fee because of 'handling' the bags?  That's what I thought.  So who 'handles' the carry on? 

It got worse.

I've been searching online for an air fare for this years trip to Florida for my mom.  I found a relatively cheap fair- $95 round trip from Chicago to Tampa.  Then I looked into the baggage fees- $50 for the first check bag AND $30 for carry on- each way. That of course adds on $160 to that supposedly low fare- which doesn't include any beverage service.  Non.  Not even soft drinks or a bag of pretzels.

Some of you may be saying but look at the low fare- it's still pretty cheap even with the added luggage fees. 

I'd agree except for one major issue that is sticking in my throat.  ALL airlines are raking in record amounts of baggage fees- and it's all profit. I'm not talking about a few thousand or even a few hundred thousand dollars.  I'm talking millions, if not billions of dollars. Every year. 

Recently in the news I saw that several airlines are under investigation for collusion- keeping the air fares up-  in face of the lowest oil prices in decades- and I hope for the increase in baggage fees.

Don't get me wrong.  I'm for everyone making money. But the blatant gouging by the airlines is simply outrageous.

I do note one exception out of all the airlines- Southwest dose NOT charge baggage fees.  Too bad their fares are not that competitive or go to the airports I need to fly!

Happy Travels.
Becky

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