Fixing cargo rates is criminal — what about fixing airfares?
A high-ranking European airline executive has pleaded guilty to air cargo price fixing. The Justice Department has already levied more than a billion dollars of fines against British Airways, Korean Air, Air France-KLM, Qantas Airways and Japan Airlines. It seems that price fixing, when it comes to cargo, is a crime. When dealing with passenger airfares, it evidently considered simple competition.
Airline fees confusing passengers
Airline fees, coming fast and furious, haven’t yet settled into the traveling consciousness of the American public. Most of them know there are fees out there, but those who don’t travel regularly have no idea of the extent of the new record-high fees.
Airlines fees testing elasticity of passenger demand
Passengers are being faced with a spiraling list of airline fees for everything from a bottle of water to a charge for a blanket and pillow. Seemingly small handouts that were once taken for granted, now come with a fee attached. Experts feel some of these fees will stick and others may be rescinded.
Have an airline voucher to redeem? Read this first!
Have you ever received a voucher as compensation for an unpleasant travel experience or for volunteering to take a later flight? If so, make sure to understand how the voucher may be used and with which fares — all vouchers are not created equal!
AA cuts its nose off to spite its face
Airline actions are hard to fathom. The latest tiff between American Airlines and Kayak.com is mystifying. AA is pulling its directly-bookable fares leaving buyers the option of only purchasing through agencies that cost AA more in booking costs. Very strange.
Delta raises fares
Delta Air Lines announced Monday that it would increase domestic fares between $10 and $40 per round trip.
McDonald’s curious math
Why does a sausage and egg McMuffin and a small coffee cost 20¢ more than the “combo” version with the same sandwich, larger coffee and fried potatoes?
With load factors so high, why not raise airfares?
We have all heard the litany of money-losing quarterly reports from the legacy airlines. This begs the question — why not raise fares?
How to book air travel for your cruise
Most cruises begin with a plane ride to the port of embarkation, which raises a perennial question: Should you book your air travel through the cruise line or should you book it yourself? Anita Dunham-Potter has some opinions on the matter.
Update: carriers pile on fare hike
RickSeaney.com reports that the major legacy carriers have matched United’s $50 round-trip fare hike. Northwest was the last holdout.