Fact is: it used to be inclusive of the ticket-fare, now it’s not (and fares haven’t gone down, at least not where I fly). Hence, we’re simply getting shafted.

Just because it used to be included doesn’t mean that’s the right way to do it. Fares have dropped dramatically over time – take a look at inflation adjusted fares 20 years ago. The reality is that some people want to check bags and others don’t. I don’t see why people shouldn’t have to pay extra for something that certainly isn’t mandatory.

Now, what I do want is a booking process that lets you see fares including baggage fees and other fees so that you can make a good decision. Then you should be able to pay for it all at once when you buy the ticket. That’s the thing that bothers me the most.

Perhaps you don’t check bags in – more power to you. Fact is: it used to be inclusive of the ticket-fare, now it’s not (and fares haven’t gone down, at least not where I fly). Hence, we’re simply getting shafted.

From where I stand, I see it just as extra hassle, especially for my less-traveled colleagues who just have extra “explanations to the accounting dept who think they’ve paid for the travel expenses in advance” and who doesn’t understand what to do with the extra claims, often with receipts of various quality etc, extra hassle to deal with in the airport — and so forth.

Hey, my neighbor has a car in his garden, with no wheels on. He never drives his car, so he doesn’t need wheels. Therefore, all cars should be sold without wheels such that those who don’t need wheels won’t have to pay for them.

Right?

It’s not just the UK, Bobber. It’s here in the US as well, and I agree that it’s awful.

Just complained to them, Cranky, and to their credit I got a personalised response in under 24 hours. Crap answer, though. They’ve switched to displaying fares in this manner because ‘other carriers are doing the same thing’.

@ CF:
hmm, when UA switched to tax-exclusive pricing in the US a few weeks ago, their UK website still showed the all-inclusive pricing, and the assumption on FT was that this was due to stricter EU regulations.

I’ve been watching this with great interest. I’ve contacted UA to question what they are trying to do with their recent changes. I said it is very difficult to see what they are charging because without a hard-copy ticket, a traveler really has no idea what is being charged–fare vs. taxes/fees. Not that it was ever that easy trying to read the codes, etc. on the old tickets, but now with the e-tickets there really isn’t much of anything to examime or audit. I’m not asking for a hard-copy, only that they disclose, opening and fully, what they are charging, when I print out an e-ticket receipt. The current “summary” data is just that, “summary.”

Of course, their website booking tool recent changes. to me, seems only to have made matters worse. It takes an additional step in the booking process to get a “priced-out” ticket, even when they have already established an itinerary that can be priced-out.. And then, when you buy a ticket, UA is not accurately breaking down what is “fare” and what are the “govenmental-imposed taxes/fees.” How much of the price is related specifically to each: the fare, the 7.5% federal exise tax, the flight segment taxes, the Sept. 11th security fee, and the PFCs for each applicable airport.

Not satisfied with UA’s response, I wrote to DOT, questioning whether or not UA is complying with DOT’s 8-25-09 Consent Order [Order 2009-8-17] on these very matters. To me, UA is not complying with the Order, and its actions indicate it is only trying to see what they get away with. To be clear, I’m not a lawyer, and I’m only stating an opinion, which I asked DOT to evaluate.

So United comes out with a “get shafted up front” subscription for paying the “baggage-fee”, and it’s being hailed as POSITIVE?

Hey, I totally agree with you, but let’s face it, in the NWO we live in today, we’re not going back to the days of old, without the nickel-and-dime fees. Given that, I’ll take anything that eases the shafting even a little as a positive.

asad wrote:

There is a term in marketing for this type of plan I don’t remember what it is but it’s not loyalty. Locked in ? This is more like microsfot making sure you can only use exchange to manage calendaring, it’s a lock in and users generally hate it because they are forced to choose something simply because they need 1-2 options. this option also bets on users not realizing that they will be hooked. So far it appears as yet another money making scheme by United.

I guess you can use “loyalty”, “locked in”, or any other term of art you choose, but that’s exaclty the point – UA is trying to get people hooked on to their product. I don’t necessarily see the prepaid annual bag fees as any different from frequent flier programs. I’ll admit it, I always look to AA as my first choice, even if it isn’t the cheapest or most direct option, because I want to get those miles to keep my status. Or, how many people will go to grocery store A to collect their reward points for that $5 gas rebate, never mind that the total bill would have been $15 lower at grocery store B? UA might not get a ton of benefit from this, but I’ll give them credit for trying something new (and if they convince even a few people to give UA a try, it’s money in the bank they didn’t have before).

hmm, when UA switched to tax-exclusive pricing in the US a few weeks ago, their UK website still showed the all-inclusive pricing, and the assumption on FT was that this was due to stricter EU regulations.

Cranky, is this for a calendar year, or 365 days?

It’s not calendar year – it’s one year from the date of purchase.

Give me back an airline company which advertises the ticket fare INCLUSIVE of all those things that are “mandatory” anyways.

I agree with you . . . except I don’t see a bag fee as mandatory. I never check bags when I fly. Now if they started charging you to check-in like Ryanair . . .

Bobber wrote:

Speaking of which, I am rather disappointed to see the UA website in the UK is now giving prominence to air fares pre taxes and fees – very misleading and f-ing irritating.

It’s not just the UK, Bobber. It’s here in the US as well, and I agree that it’s awful.

Give me back an airline company which advertises the ticket fare INCLUSIVE of all those things that are “mandatory” anyways.

Speaking of which, I am rather disappointed to see the UA website in the UK is now giving prominence to air fares pre taxes and fees – very misleading and f-ing irritating.