The Travel Professor
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Saturday, February 23, 2008

Airlines unbundling services-adding fees

I predict that America’s legacy carriers-American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United Airlines and US Airways will unbundled most of their traditionally free passenger services and adopt a-la-carte pricing for these. Expect to start paying extra fees for checked baggage, advanced seat assignments and enhanced boarding priority.

Air travelers on low cost no frills carriers like Jet Blue and Sky Bus are accustomed to paying these fees but then again the fares are generally lower than the legacy airlines.

For years the mega airlines argued that their extra free services offset the fare savings and inconveniences travelers encountered flying the discount lines.

Maybe the airline executives are right but I don’t see them dropping airfares I just see them adding an extra fee that will increase cash flow and profitability.


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