As far as airline fees go, it probably doesn’t get any more absurd than this: The fee for Christy Lynn Wilson’s miniature-schnauzer mix to fly under her seat on Delta Air Lines is $300 — $28 less than her airfare.
Wilson attacks the fee in a newspaper editorial, echoing the sentiments of another pet owner I recently wrote about in my blog.
Delta’s customer service department didn’t offer a satisfactory explanation for the doggie fee.
I contacted Delta’s customer service department to try to ascertain how the company rationalized this ridiculousness. Here is the answer I received:
“Due to the rapidly changing competitive and economic environment, Delta has changed various fees and charges. These changes will make our fee structure more in-line with other airlines and also address our increasing cost pressures. These fee changes are all in accordance with general industry practices.”
Translation? All the other airlines are gouging pet owners so we can, too.
Well, at least she didn’t get this non-answer, which was sent to passenger Richard Grove when he asked about the $300 he’d have to pay for his cat.
I apologize for the poor impression and for your frustration with the replies you received below.
I can understand why you would be unhappy that the price has doubled since you last traveled. Also, it makes sense to me that you want to share your feelings on this matter. I appreciate you letting us know how you feel. Delta makes every effort to provide the highest possible standard of service in all areas of our operation, and I am sorry that we did not meet your expectations on this occasion.
Wilson thinks the fees are bound to get worse.
Perhaps those of you who bring a laptop on board will soon be charged a “technology accommodation” fee. Those of you with a little extra girth should be on the lookout for a “seatbelt extension fee.” And lefties, can an “irregular handedness charge” be far behind?
So Delta, please stop the madness. Someone’s got to be a voice for sanity in airline fees. Why not you?
I’m afraid Wilson is howling at the moon. To paraphrase Sherlock Holmes, Delta is listening, but it does not hear.
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
Don’t forget the ‘cabin pressurization’ fee, and ‘landing gear maintenance’ surcharge.
Here here!
My husband and I just flew back to NYC from Puerto Rico. Our tickets? $129 pp. Our dog’s (a pug) ticket? $100. Each way on Jet Blue. Bah humbug!
As someone with allergies (who has been miserable enough to sit by someone who decided to take out Mr. Kitty) I’d suggest a compromise. When you travel on a smaller jet there isn’t room for folks’ wheeled carry-ons so they “valet” them: you leave your bag at the end of the bridgeway, they put it in a different section of the plane than the checked baggage – it doesn’t get lost and you pick it up at the end of the bridgeway at each leg of the flight. It goes on a rack and is treated with the more delicate care that carry-ons should receive. A similar area (so long as heated/cooled/pressurized) could allow pets. That way allergy sufferers aren’t shelling out a bunch of money for a flight only to have an allergy attack and pet fans could count their pet as their carry-on item. As for “seatbelt extensions” there are many passengers not requiring them who invade the wee bit of space that another passenger has paid good money for (I paid good money for my seat. Though they also paid good money for their seat, they didn’t pay for mine. I did.), so if someone’s large enough to require the extender they probably should have to buy an extra seat or pay more for a larger seat.
Arent we gonna hear the ‘STOP THE MADNESS’ with the Unaccompanied Minor FEES too?
Wow, have you seen the COST TO BOARD your dog while you fly?
I checked ATL since Christy lives there.
http://www.barkandlounge.net/boarding.html
http://www.costhelper.com/cost/pets/dog-kennel.html
http://www.piedmontbark.com/services.html
$12 to $60 PER NIGHT, $30 being average.
I wish that pets were only allowed on a VERY FEW flights. For those of us with allergies, your beloved pets make our trip miserable. I hope that passengers on flights with animals in the cabin will one day be notified and have the option to choose another flight. I love my dog, but I don’t share confined spaces with him. My health won’t allow it. As for the fees, if they require special treatment, then the fees should reflect this. If they don’t, then the fees should be small accordingly.
Next some airline will institute a special Executive Compensation Fee, to ensure that their CEO remains appropriately compensated in these difficult economic times. And how about a fee to defray the costs of collecting all the fees: the Fee Fee. Yes, airlines are definitely going to the dogs.
On December 24th, 2008 at 9:25 pm Hapgood said Next some airline will institute a special Executive Compensation Fee, to ensure that their CEO remains appropriately compensated in these difficult economic times.
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what makes you think THEY ARENT (for LIFE?).