Comments on: Look at what’s on the menu! More a la carte airline fees

By: Frank

Frank — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 23:55:43 +0000

On December 6th, 2008 at 6:18 pm Janice Hough said Believe me, I get it, or they change the plane and you end up in a different seat
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when this happens, gate agents are usually proactive and page these individuals before boarding, so they get new seat assignments. At that time, they can find out about fees paid and reimbursements.

By: Frank

Frank — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 23:53:20 +0000

On December 6th, 2008 at 6:15 pm Matt said So what happens when I pay for the extra legroom seat and some huge person sits there and the FA refuses to tell that person to move?
Yes, that has happened to me.
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Your post is somewhat vague. Was it a double seat assignment? Someone may have been looking at the wrong boarding pass. Could of been the previous flight’s boarding pass (I catch that one all the time). The person’s size has nothing to do with it, but why wouldnt they move if you show up with a seat assignment for THAT SEAT. Did you visually see if the seat was that person’s as well? Why wouldnt the F/A help? There’s several onboard. Did you ask for the purser? Lead F/A?
Worse case: Settle the situation by getting names. Write the company or email consumer service and request a refund. Or/and, before leaving the airport, explain the situation to gate staff, specifically, a gate supervisor.

By: Janice Hough

Janice Hough — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 23:18:41 +0000

Believe me, I get it, or they change the plane and you end up in a different seat… What airlines dont seem to get sometimes is that with extra fees they are also creating extra responsibilty.

By: Matt

Matt — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 23:15:50 +0000

So what happens when I pay for the extra legroom seat and some huge person sits there and the FA refuses to tell that person to move?

Yes, that has happened to me.

By: Frank

Frank — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 13:07:56 +0000

On December 5th, 2008 at 12:10 pm Janice Hough There are many reasons Southwest has the fewest complaints, one of them is that they keep it simple.
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That is correct……you cant COMPLAIN about a service YOU’RE NOT GETTING.

By: Janice Hough

Janice Hough — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 17:10:29 +0000

Hey Frank, yes, it is a nice service in many ways. But it is also one more complication. And potential problem if and when the airline doesn’t deliver. There are many reasons Southwest has the fewest complaints, one of them is that they keep it simple.

(and our agency generally charges flat fees.)

By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 05 Dec 2008 14:55:52 +0000

by Janice Hough
In a memo to travel agents this week, United Airlines announced something that will make it “even more convenient for customers” to sit in their Economy Plus section with extra legroom. Translation: it will make it more convenient to pay more money.
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Actually, this enhances your ability to offer your customer more SERVICE: an UPGRADE.
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But sometimes, we can spend hours on one ticket. And sometimes we do find incredible deals. Most agents I know can tell stories of saving a client hundreds, even thousands of dollars, but still not feeling comfortable charging a hefty fee. (Especially as, for agents who charge a ticket percentage, the fee would go down the more money saved.) If, for instance, a client expected to pay about $600 for a ticket, and an agent finds a fare for $250, then it would be a lot more tempting to charge say $350 for the ticket, than charging $250 for the ticket and a $100 fee showing up prominently on the invoice.
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Do you charge a flat rate on a ticket or a ticket percentage? How are your “service fees” determined?