Cranky on the Web: What’s Behind The Higher Bag Fee Revenue?

Cranky on the Web

Fliers paid a record $1.2 billion in baggage fees last quarterCNN Money
When CNN asked me why airline bag fees were up 10 percent in the 3rd quarter versus last year, I had to think about it. Of course the airlines won’t give any details since they don’t have to disclose them, but there was one thing that stuck out as a potentially large contributor… Basic Economy and its no-carry-on policy at United and American.

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4 comments on “Cranky on the Web: What’s Behind The Higher Bag Fee Revenue?

  1. Then you have Delta’s CEO talking about using technology to find out what customers want. What a load of nonsense. Customers to him must be first class business customers. For all other customers (the other 98%) they want the same simple things. You dont need technology to tell you. 1. A little more leg room. 2. Can baggage fees, stop nickle/diming the customers to death. 3. Get there on time. 4. A little decent food on long flights. Period.

    1. of course we’d all like lots of things but that doesn’t mean we are willing to pay for it.

      Given that air fares continue to fall, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that some decision has to be made as to what is no longer included in the free price. oh, and stiffing the employees to give services at below cost is no longer part of the process and the investors DO expect to get paid.

      Feel free to reorder your list and put a value on each of those items and get 150 million other people onboard w/ whatever you decide.

      If you do, you not only don’t need big data but you get a CEO job in the process.

      1. Then be honest. Really airline customers hate being lied to. Like the nonsense out of corporate PR offices like, “we believe these rates and fees give our customers real choice for the services they desire,” which really means “our CEOs compensation depends on squeezing the last dime out of our customers to satisfy Wall Street.” Be honest, Raise fares $20 per segment. And the airlines lobbying the toadies in this administration to stop honest airline prices from being posted is embarrassing.

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