overhead carry-on bags prohibited

Quote: Nareed

The majors are feeling the pinch from the ULCCs and need to take some steps to counter them. It seems odd, though, that these ultra-low fares by them are so restricted. I understand no seat assignment, but not even the option to pay for one? And now bags. It's getting so, as in the 80s, you'll need a lawyer to figure out what fare you want.

The ULCC are at least straightforward about their pricing. Once you give them your money you can never get it back. But Allegiant has a set fee of $26 per leg if you want the option to change days or times. The major carriers simply say that this fare class does not give you the option to change days or times. If you want the option you must buy a different "fare class". Allegiant has fees if you want to use a credit card, if you want to get a boarding pass at the airport, if you want a sandwich, if you want to pick your seat, in addition to bag fees. Allegiant only charges an extra $10 to check a bag as opposed to carrying it on. Most people simply check the bag, so you don't have that horrible scramble at boarding.

The major airlines don't want to set "fees" because they want to get as much money as possible hidden in "fare classes". That's why you can't pay for a seat assignment. You must purchase a different "fare class" that gives you the option of choosing a seat assignment.

But Allegiant is super cheap if you buy your seat in advance; make no changes; print your own boarding pass; walk on with just a briefcase; eat and drink nothing; and don't care where you sit.

Quote: Pacomartin

But Allegiant is super cheap if you buy your seat in advance; make no changes; print your own boarding pass; walk on with just a briefcase; eat and drink nothing; and don't care where you sit.

At the rate it is going you will have to help clean the plane or if you are more skilled drain the water from the fuel tank?

Quote: Pacomartin

Allegiant has fees if you want to use a credit card, if you want to get a boarding pass at the airport, if you want a sandwich, if you want to pick your seat, in addition to bag fees.

Did you ever see an old Daffy Duck and Porky Pig cartoon where Daffy's selling insurance? One enticement is he can be paid $1 million for a black eye. When Porky signs the policy near the end, daffy reads the fine print of "If it happens during a hailstorm on the fourth of July, and is a result of being run over by a train and trampled by circus animals." Or something like that.

Sometimes when perusing fare rules, it feels that way.

It gets worse for people who are serious about collecting frequent flier miles and points from the airlines, their credit cards, partners, etc. It's a full time job getting enough miles and points to get a "free" upgrade...

Oh, Porky does get a black eye under the exact conditions set by the policy, even the addition Daffy makes up at the end ("and one baby zebra").

The carry on baggage situation on your airlines always amuses me. Everyone carrying multiple items, rushing on trying to cram them all in and inevitably a large number of people end up having to check them in (at no cost). The number of bags allowed to be taken on board is way out of proportion to the amount of space available on the plane. In Australia everyone is allowed 1 piece of carry on bag with max 7kg (about 15lbs) and fitting certain dimensions plus 1 personal item (handbag, laptop bag etc small stuff). Works well.

Precisely. The cost of making the baggage space is high and the cost of utilizing it is even higher due to delays, frustration, etc. A simple system of we fly "people" NOT baggage streamlines the system. Airlines should return to core values: fly people real cheap, don't fly much baggage don't market credit cards don't "push sides"... just fly the plane.

Quote: Fleastiff

Precisely. The cost of making the baggage space is high and the cost of utilizing it is even higher due to delays, frustration, etc. A simple system of we fly "people" NOT baggage streamlines the system. Airlines should return to core values: fly people real cheap, don't fly much baggage don't market credit cards don't "push sides"... just fly the plane.

Would be nice but would it be profitable? Long run airlines always seem to lose money. Crappy business.

They will never give up selling miles/pts to banks to give to credit cards customers. That is their most consistently highly profitable revenue stream. Which reminds me, I have an AMEX application to complete! :D

Quote: Aussie

Everyone carrying multiple items, rushing on trying to cram them all in and inevitably a large number of people end up having to check them in (at no cost). The number of bags allowed to be taken on board is way out of proportion to the amount of space available on the plane.

Logical fallout from the checked bag fees. Assuming, that is, that gate-checked bags go in at no extra fee. if so, then it's most logical for passengers to tray to cram as many bags as possible as carry-on. A short delay is cheaper than the fee.

Coming up next: carry-on fees at the majors.

Quote: Aussie

They will never give up selling miles/pts to banks to give to credit cards customers. That is their most consistently highly profitable revenue stream. Which reminds me, I have an AMEX application to complete! :D

As you can see in the chart below, about 2/3 of American Airlines AAdvantage miles are sold to third parties (mostly Citibank).



Meanwhile, the miles themselves are being devalued; worth less & less each year. And in the old days 1 mile was earned by flying 1 mile. Delta, United, American, Virgin, JetBlue, and Southwest now use the price of the ticket to determine the number of miles earned. (If I'm not mistaken, Alaska is the only domestic carrier where 1 mile is earned by flying 1 mile.)

Quote: View From The Boarding Area

Back in 2008 and 2009 banks were buying miles super cheap, closer to one cent apiece rather than two, when the airlines were short of cash during the recession. Now with airlines in a stronger position financially, with fewer airlines to do deals with and banks in a healthier position to compete for those deals, the price of miles has swung up closer to two cents than one.

Meanwhile airlines haven't needed to spend as much on marketing to fill planes. They've been able to devalue their frequent flyer programs.

*Miles are costing the banks more
*Those miles are worth less

Frequent flyer programs may find themselves killing their multibillion dollar goose in the medium-term, though it's likely on a long-term decline no matter what they do.

Quote: Nareed

Coming up next: carry-on fees at the majors.

As someone who never brings a carry on, I'd welcome this. Hopefully it'd speed the boarding process up.

I have no idea how anyone can avoid checking a bag and just cram all their stuff into a carry on. Even for a 3 day trip, I could never manage that.