Here’s a class non-answer answer I received from UA about simply raising airfares and being honest about it.
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what part of that didnt you understand? AIR FARES on the internet are shown by the LOWEST FARE on the first page and so on and so on. Airlines are under great pressure to keep their AIR FARES on the first page or RISK having their fares buried on other pages within the site!!! Consumers, generally stay on that first page, hence, “simply raising” airfares CAN NOT be the answer. Even for a $10 dollar increase.

I’ve grown tired after 8 years as a Chairman’s Preferred of airlines treating the customer as the enemy. The entire industry has customer satisfaction ratings BELOW that of the IRS and that Envie is all one really need say. But I’m feeling a bit verbose today so thus the rant shall continue.

Airline Senior Management IMO thinks the flying public is genuinely stupid and sadly each day customers do things to support that perception.

However it is NOT the price of fuel that is causing the fee explosion. What’s happening is decades of bad, out of touch management is finally being brought to light by the fuel crisis. All of the BK’s, outsourcing & fees can not hide the facts that operation ineffiencies have made the legacy carrier uncompetitive against true LCC’s like Southwest.

Southwest turns an Aircraft on average 31 minutes faster which allows them to have about a 20% advantage in aircraft utilization and an even greater utilization of ground staff. In aviation time IS money . I know of no aircraft type that genereates money while on the ground.

Here’s a class non-answer answer I received from UA about simply raising airfares and being honest about it. I love the bit about “tailored services,” like people are buying airline tickets from Savile Row:

Dear Dr. B:

I regret to learn about your disappointment with the increase in extra
charges for our various services.

We understand your dissatisfaction with the increase in extra charges.
Most airlines base fees on the cost of doing business at a realistic
profit. Since our customers need specific services for a variety of
reasons, we consider such factors as customer demand, type of service
needed, as well as the fees charged by our competitors. Please know
that fees for specific services allow us to tailor our products and
services around what our customers value most and are willing to pay
for. Other products we have customized include Economy Plus seating and
Buy on Board products. Still, your comments are important to us and I
will share your views with our baggage management team responsible for
policies. Your feedback will help us evaluate our decisions that impact
your choice of airline.

As a Premier Executive member, we truly value your business and look
forward for your continued support.

Oil at $140 would of caused half the industry to liquidate if those prices held while everyone burned through their assets AND/OR CASH. $90 dollars and a WEAK ECONOMY, load factors declining. The summer HIGH SEASON should of been the industry’s PROFIT TIME, IT WAS NOT. The industry LOST Billions.

This is the pricing model….you are paying for the FLIGHT, all other SERVICES are now extra.
But, MOST people know to check in ONE BAG and use the ONE BAG RULE, ONE PERSONAL ITEM to avoid paying another bag charge. Most passengers on this route would be traveling via rollerboard. You forgot to mention that MOST airlines exempt their best customers of any BAG FEES. Also dont charge for wheelchair checkin, car seats, strollers.
I disagree with you that these bag fees are hidden, most travelers are very travel “experienced”, they not only know, but know how to AVOID THEM.

My point here is that the airfare while very reasonable can increase dramatically when baggage fees are included… and those fees are basically hidden until the last stages of a reservation … and consumers in many cases don’t factor them into the overall trip costs.

Airlines are counting on that. They are using the base airfare as their competitive tool for online displays and hiding the extra fees until later.

Boston to Baltimore/Washington = $159
Initially hidden baggage charges = $130
Total = $289
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Can you back up your statistics with HOW MANY people actually check TWO bags?
If you drove this trip between BOS and BWI, it would cost you $112 DOLLARS just in gas money. It’s 700 miles roundtrip. 4 dollar a gallon gas and your car gets 25 miles to the gallon. I didnt even add in ROAD TOLLS. Let’s add in another $20 dollars for tolls. Your total:

GAS from BOS to BWI= $112 dollars
Tolls each way=$40 dollars
Total= $152 DOLLARS ROUND TRIP……………….and for SEVEN more dollars, you can FLY, NOT CHECK A BAG (like most business travelers do) and BE THERE IN JUST OVER AN “HOUR”.

….Oh, wait, you stopped to eat at McD’s. There went that SEVEN dollars.
So, SEVEN HOURS ON THE ROAD (most likely in traffic) or 90 MINUTES flying with a rollaboard?