Over the years, airlines have done even less to take care of their customers, and more to try and get every possible cent out of them. It is currently at a point where the lack of care for the individual passenger is somewhat appalling.
There are a lot of things that summer travelers should realize about the airlines before they travel, in order to maximize their comfort and minimize their cost. Reid Lampert, a sophomore political science major at CU Boulder, says, “Airlines care more about their financial gain than the comfort of their passengers."
There are a lot of places to spend money on a summer trip and a lot of fun things that people can do. There are way better ways to spend your money than getting ripped off by airlines.
Over the years people have been discussing the decreased leg and seat room on planes. In an effort to cram more passengers onto each flight, airlines have reduced the space available to each passenger. This has made for a far more uncomfortable flying experience.
Not to mention that they have decreased the free food offered on planes. In the past people expected a lot more snacks and complimentary food items. Airlines are now skimping out on this as well. All the substantial food they offer costs extra money, which they know people will pay when they have no other option.
Once a flight is booked, most airlines charge monumental fees to change flights. United charges a $200 change fee, and then customers must pay the difference in their tickets on top of all that. Or to simply cancel a reservation and receive credit to use on another trip, they charge the $200 fee.
It seems highly unlikely that is costs the company $200 to simply take someone off a flight, especially since Southwest will either grant a full refund or full credit without charging a fee. United knows that sometimes people will have to change their plans. When this happens, people could either not pay the $200 and lose the price of their ticket, or they could pay it and potentially use their ticket on something else. Either way, the airline benefits at the expense of the consumer.
American Airlines requires customers to request a refund. However, in order to do this they must cancel their booking. This means that people must cancel their reservation before they find out if they will get refunded. Caution when booking flights will help avoid this. However, if people change their plans and want to change their flights, they'll need to expect a large fee.
Another way that airlines try to amp up your bill is through baggage fees. Abby Lefebvre, a sophomore student at Boston University, said, “On my way home for the summer last year, I was charged $300 in overweight fees, more than my actual ticket home." American Airlines charges you a $100 to $200 overweight fee, depending on the weight of your luggage. United can charge up to $400 depending on the destination and weight of the bag.
Travelers nowadays should be aware of the sad reality that airlines actively work to swindle them of their money. They are so focused on the bottom line that there have been international flights where no food has been served, and that they cram their passengers in like sardines. Beyond this, they have excessively expensive fees regarding baggage and flight change.
