It seems that every day the airlines
think up some new charge to tack on to the basic ticket price. Many passengers
are beginning to question the legitimacy of these add-ons, suspecting that
fliers are being gouged.
The advertised price of an airline
ticket these days is only a fraction of its true cost. A price may be displayed
as $79, but taxes and fees can boost this to over $300! These extra charges are
annoying, but aren't actually the carrier's fault (they are imposed by
governments, security agencies and airports) and can be found in the fine print
of the ad. What really irritates the flier, is all the sneaky add-on charges
that the airlines impose, but aren't so up-front about.
These extras include such things as
checked baggage, extra legroom, food, pillows and blankets, in-flight
entertainment and Internet, on-line seat selection, access to lounges, and
priority check-in. If you want a paper ticket, this can cost another $40. There
are airlines now that even charge for those little bags of peanuts. It seems
that every year, they find some new way to sneak a few more dollars out of the
customer's pocket.
How necessary are these add-ons? It
is a reality that every year the cost of transporting passengers rises, the
main factor being the price of fuel. Airlines are faced with the choice of
increasing ticket prices, or tacking on extra charges. Raising the ticket-price
makes their fares seem less attractive to comparison shoppers, and there is a
belief that once customers make a decision based on the advertised fare, they
won't back out when presented with a bunch of extra charges. Also, as each fee
isn't that great,. the purchase appears less intimidating than when a total
amount is presented up-front. Many, however, feel that this is a less than
honest way to business, and that the ticket price should reflect the true cost
of the flight.
Annual revenue from extra fees has
increased between 40% and 60% (depending on the source), to nearly $22 billion
over the last couple of years, and is expected to play an increasingly
important role in the airlines' bottom line. "Ancillary revenue is a
growth market and it's here to stay," said Ian Wheeler, head of
distribution and marketing at airline-technology provider Amadeus IT Group SA
(The Wall Street Journal. Daniel Michaels, May 11, 2011).
One way to avoid the high cost of
flying, is to remember that these add-ons are options, and you aren't forced to
pay extra for what you don't want. On short trips learn to get by with just a
carry-on bag, thus avoiding a fee for checked luggage. Bring a book, and you
won't be paying for in-flight entertainment. You can use your own inflatable
pillow, eat your own food and get by with the seat that the airline chooses for
you.
Although the airlines could be more
up-front about the full cost of flights, making the customer pay extra for
add-ons, rather than increasing the ticket price, makes sense. This way
customers can choose how "no-frills" they want their flight to be,
and not have to pay for things that they don't want.
Shopping for cheap airline tickets
on-line makes good sense. It is the ideal way to compare fares, and research
what exactly is included in the advertised price. As always, do your homework.
There are still bargains to be found, especially when you don't have pay for a
lot of frills that you don't really need.
Welcome! Please come and visit us at
Flights To Tours, for travel tips and information on flights, accommodation and
tours [http://flightstotours.com].
I'm Ian Stevenson, administrator and
author at Flights To Tours.
Article Source:- EzineArticles
