Though news of holiday rates and fees escalating came in weeks ago, it didn’t report how much of an increase we’d see. In the last week alone, the $10 service fees of last month were doubled to $20 on domestic flights–each way.
Apparently the major U.S. airlines thought that a such nominal random fee wasn’t enough for their flights, which of course warrants an increase.
It seems that the companies are following in the footsteps of American Airlines, which was the first major business to charge a fee for holidays–as well as the dates surrounding them–in September. Now the charges are pretty commonplace among all of the major airlines.
And while the number of days each company would add the fee was at three, it has since been raised to 13 during the entire year.
Don’t most people who receive holiday pay only get 10 holidays per year, if that? If the airlines are declaring even more holidays, perhaps people should be getting more paid time off work.
Southwest Airlines and JetBlue Airlines are the only two companies to not add the surcharges so far. The businesses, known for the economical flights and leading environmental practices, say that they aren’t going to, either.
Funny how the little guy can maintain a profit without adding fees but the big kahunas still demand more.
And even though all of these airlines adding the fees carry international flights, there has yet to be any word on them adding surcharges in Europe. So what we have are extra holiday fees being charged in the United States only, during a time when it’s already very tight for passengers to fly.
Does that seem very wise at this point?
Tags: air travel fees, cost to fly, flight costs, travel costs