Now that airlines are making a record amount of money from fees, here are three, admittedly idealistic, questions about those fees.
1. Every time you change your reservation, even by an hour, most airlines will charge you $150. Many of them will charge you even for standby if you are late. So why don’t they give you $150 when they change your reservation with a delay or major schedule change?
2. Airlines insist on charging passengers for premium seats, how come they don’t issue you a voucher when you end up in one of the worst seats on the plane and they can’t move you, i.e., next to a screaming baby, next to a large person who takes half your seat, next to someone who hasn’t bathed in weeks.
3. Airlines charge you for baggage fee. Why don’t they give you money back when the baggage is delayed. (I know, Alaska has given vouchers in this situation, but they are the only ones I know of doing such a thing.)
Now, I realize these questions seem like pipe dreams. But in reality, other industries give service guarantees. FedEx and UPS, for example, refund your money if they don’t deliver on time. Amazon.com will at least refund shipping costs if your product is later than they promised.
Hampton Inn, for example, offers the “If you’re not satisfied you don’t have to pay,” guarantee.
But airlines, nothing. The only chance passengers have for money back is writing to customer relations. It’s one thing in a “no-frills” environment. But, when airlines are charging hefty fees when passengers don’t honor their part of the contract (i.e. changing tickets) and they’re paying real money for frills, it seems like fees should be a two-way street.
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
