Yesterday, US Airways and United jumped on the American bandwagon announcing fees for the first checked bag. US Airways went a bit further and now will charge for $2 for formerly “complimentary” beverages. In addition, US Airways tacked $25 onto its miles award tickets. There is extensive coverage of these changes here and here and here.
It is important to note that these policies are not uniform. American is doing something slightly different from United. United is doing something slightly different than US Airways. The media has picked on the subtle language put out by the airlines (more on this later) that the baggage charges apply to “most” passengers. The airlines are trying to draw a fine line between leisure passengers and business passengers. If you have status on the airlines or are flying in a premium cabin then the charges don’t apply to you. If you aren’t one of these people then the charges do apply to you. The gray zone right now is with full fare, refundable tickets. American considers these passengers “business travelers” and is not charging the baggage fees. United and US Airways are not excluding them.
No comments:
Post a Comment