As always, we are delighted when a reader offers a concrete suggestion as to how to improve the airline mess. Here is a terrific example from Mr. Bob Schaeneman.
I have a suggestion to save all of our financially strapped airlines.
I suggest that they all raise the price of soft drinks and water to $10
each, the price of movies to $25, the price of food to $50 per tray,
the price of having a ticket agent wait on them to $100 and the price
of their first piece of luggage to $200 (which by the way only
encourages people to carry gargantuan bags onto the planes and try to
cram them all into the overhead bins; pretty smart, huh?) They could
also put coin slots on the display monitors to check for departures and
arrivals, say $1.00 each viewing. And maybe another fee to use one of
the chairs at the terminal gate, say $5.00 per hour? Then, once they
have jacked up the prices of all the incidentals, the ticket itself
could actually be given to the customer free of charge!!! Seems like
an idea that might appeal to the airline marketing wizards, doesn't
it??? Feel free to pass these suggestions along to all the folks who
are so rapidly ruining what little positive image they have left.
Now seriously, how did it not
occur to the airlines to simply raise the price of each ticket $50 or
$100 bucks, with an explanation that the increase was for additional
fuel charges (which we all could have easily understood and related
to), leaving soft drinks, water, baggage and movies free??? Of course,
that wouldn’t have contributed to the airlines lousy image, which they
seem so skillful at creating.
Thanks I totaly agree with you. They just need to be honest and forward instead of giving us the run around and killing us with all the stupid fees.
Posted by: auto glass mesa az | April 24, 2009 at 07:33 PM
The main problem with the airlines is that they think short term to make quarterly earnings. Typically this means cost cutting and adventurous schemes to charge customers. They fail to do two things. 1) think long term in their strategy, 2) differentiat the product/service they have to offer. You would think with all the brains behind these business, someone would apply an investment in the customer strategy. Nope, they are just going to nickle and dime each other out of existence.
Posted by: GK | July 09, 2009 at 10:00 PM
They have to first show an honest and worth it service before they make the price higher. It will be okay if they add the price of the ticket as long as the customers could feel that their money is worth it.
Posted by: renaissance costume | March 23, 2010 at 08:33 AM
aren't those prices that you are suggesting really high? Imagine 50$ for your tray? 100$ for the ticket agent? 200$for your luggage? That's ridiculous.
Posted by: wench costume | May 11, 2010 at 12:58 AM
This suggestion is way too far. The one who make an airline alive is it's consumers. If you blow up all these prices, no one will go to you, and if no one will go to you, your business will die.
Posted by: I Need Money Desperately | May 24, 2010 at 03:35 AM
One thing I dislike are people who try to bring their entire house onto the plane.
Posted by: arizona auto glass | June 05, 2010 at 04:01 PM
Nice post...not sure if I had considered this previously.
Posted by: Debt Cancellation Taxes | November 13, 2010 at 10:12 AM
Great to see someone love what they do!
Posted by: Offer and Compromise | November 13, 2010 at 10:39 PM
I could not agree more. Great post!!
Posted by: IRS Tax Penalty | November 18, 2010 at 03:38 PM
Good point. Glad to see that someone understands the issue.
Posted by: Debt Forgiveness Act | November 20, 2010 at 05:42 PM
Not sure everyone agrees on this, but it is nice to get the info.
Posted by: Chicago IL CPA | November 21, 2010 at 10:30 AM
Great job...couldn't say it better myself.
Posted by: Outsourced tax | November 26, 2010 at 05:02 PM
It may be too late to save them...
Posted by: Katy Texas CPA | November 28, 2010 at 09:44 PM
It's never too late!
Posted by: Dallas TX CPA | December 04, 2010 at 01:50 PM
Post makes sense to me...it is difficult for many people to get their hands around the issue.
Posted by: Canadian US Real EstateTax | December 26, 2010 at 11:26 AM
Never look at it like this before? Guess it makes sense.
Posted by: I Owe the IRS | May 22, 2011 at 05:10 PM