Is Allegiant Air the Future for Airlines?

Today might just be as un-productive as the day after the Super Bowl. My office is a ghost town, and that is putting it mildly. Luckily, first day of NHL free agency is providing some entertainment. Anyway, as yields soar into the stratosphere again today airlines are again getting lambasted over ever increasing ancillary fees.

Under pressure to find new sources of revenue as ticket prices remain depressed, airlines for years have been tacking on baggage fees and charging for meals that used to be free. The fees are continuing to multiply and increase. In late April four of the largest U.S. airlines raised fees for changing a domestic flight to $200 from $150, posting the notifications in small print on their websites.

There are also fees at many U.S. airlines for early boarding, unaccompanied minors, processing a ticket purchased with award miles, getting a ticket issued by an airline reservations clerk, using a mileage-based upgrade, and overweight bags and oversize luggage.

It never ceases to amaze me how often people complain about airlines and how expensive flying is. It is not a cheap undertaking and frankly it is insane to me that airlines end up with such a low margin business at the end of the day. I'd rather pay more for my ticket up front rather than get nickel and dime'd at every turn.

George Hobica, a consumer advocate who runs the airfarewatchdog.com website, said he wouldn't be shocked if big carriers eventually adopted fees for carry-on luggage. But he said they are more likely to start zoned-baggage fees, which vary based on the length of the flight, and to impose fees on passengers who carry their infants on their laps on domestic flights, matching the practice on international flights

Long story short, it doesn't seem like we are going to get any relief from extra fees anytime soon. What's the next evolution for air travel? It seems to me that we have airlines desperately attempting to provide travel to everyone like it is a right and then going into bankruptcy every few years to deal with the ramifications of pursuing this strategy. Obviously business travel probably takes a majority of the attention of airlines, and for good reason, but are airline such as allegiant really the model going forward?

 

I have a hard time dealing with people who complain about travel and its costs. If you don't like bag fees, don't bring 2 overweight bags with you. If you don't like cancellation or change fees, buy the $15 insurance with your ticket.

People act like flying is something that should be provided to you at a low cost. People need to wake up and understand that the airlines are a business and need to make money, even if that means your ticket cost might go up. If you have a problem with the cost, then don't fly.

 
Best Response

If you think Allegiant fees are outrageous, you should try RyanAir. They charge something like 200 euros just for printing a boarding pass at the airport if you didn't bring one printed from home and also 7 euros for a cup of water while onboard.

The airline business is becoming a lot like cruise ships in the sense that those who want to get pampered and are willing to shell out extra money for first/business class get the full VIP royale treatments while those who just want the cheapest possible ticket to get from point A to point B get the bare minium with their purchase.

I actually think that this low cost/non frill business model makes sense. It helps to keep airfare affordable and accessible at a time of increasing fuel costs. Those of us who are low maintenance (one piece of carry-on only, no checked luggage) have no problem with the surcharges. Would much rather cash in on the savings than pay extra to subsidize others for services I don't need.

Plus if you have enough mileage or credit cards with the airlines (gold, platinum status) a lot of the surcharges are waived anyway.

Too late for second-guessing Too late to go back to sleep.
 

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