Charging for checked luggage and legroom isn’t enough for some carriers — starting today, coach passengers flying aboard US Airways Inc. must pay for a drink of water. This morning, US Airways began charging fliers $2 for bottled water and sodas and $1 for teas and coffees. First class members, trans-Atlantic passengers and a select group of others are exempt from the extra fees. “This is another clever way to masquerade airfare increases without increasing airfares,” says Randy Petersen, editor of Inside Flyer Magazine. “Everything has been passed along to the consumer.”
Update: Farecompare’s Rick Seaney is flying US Air this afternoon and reports on the scene:
I am now on a US Airways jet heading from Las Vegas to Dallas — but just before boarding, the gate agent made a sarcastic little speech. He wasn’t upset with us — he was upset with his airline — and he spoke in bitter tones: “It is my very special duty to inform you that today is inauguration day’ at US Airways and what we are inaugurating is our new onboard beverage policy. You now have to pay $2 for that coke, $2 for water.”
Now, nobody booed or anything but I did see surprised and startled looks on the faces of some passengers — apparently they hadn’t heard about this new fee, and looked like they couldn’t quite believe it.
Next up: In case of an emergency, oxygen masks will be provided for a $3.00 fee, in the unlikely event of a water landing, a life preserver located under your seat can be leased for……..etc.
fck it, just get me there quickly in one piece.
And it won’t be a 20oz bottle of water. $2 for a 12oz on the place or $1.29 for 20oz at the gate.
Wait till they put COIN-SLOTS ON THE TOILETS TOO !!!
#3 Jim D
Sorry but coins are too heavy as are full bladders. You will not be allowed to board with either without paying additional fees.
Reminds me of the Carol Burnett show episode where flight attendant Carol, whispered emergency landing instructions only to those with full fare tickets.
At this point I would rather be put in suspended animation and stacked like cord wood for the duration of my flight than fly awake and aware and having to deal with the other cattle in coach.
I just flew US Air this past weekend and it was the worst experience I’ve had with an airline.
I had to fly standby (due to my own mistake), but through my long, long wait in Charlotte, NC I overheard many gate announcements. They’d overbooked at least three flights that afternoon (2-4 extra people per flight).
There was a 19 year old who was instructed that she couldn’t take her anti-seizure medication onto the plane as it involved needles (both her seizure medication and her epi shot). The computer told the boarding agent that she was flying standby for the 6:20, but had she looked she would’ve seen that it was a real ticket with a seat and everything. She wasn’t let onto that flight (a standby passenger was given her spot). US Air wasn’t able to figure out where the girl’s medicine was (due to delays we were entering that time of the day that she needed the shot).
Passengers who voluntarily give their seats up when they overbook are rewarded with a flight voucher (anywhere in the lower 48, or $200 toward any other flight). This girl was involuntarily pushed back 4 hours, without her meds, and was rewarded with a $10 airport food voucher.
I was also jerked around, but not as bad.
They need to sell bottles of oxygen too. I’ve noticed a lot of fart activity (turdbulence) on long flights.
I think they should get rid of the seats. Everyone can stand and hold onto a strap, like on a subway. They can stuff double the amount of passengers on board, still charge the same price and help bail the airlines out of their slump.
I wonder how long before they start charging us for their flight delays?
I <3 Amtrak
Well I already stopped flying American due to their baggage policy. I think I will add US Air (who I have their highest membership level with) to the do not fly unless I absolutely have no choice list.
I wish they would stop screwing with their customers like this. Just add the damn $2 to the price of the ticket, same with the $15 baggage crap. $17 is not going to effect my choice of airlines. Getting me to my location comfortably will.
#11, I wish Amtrak was a viable option, but if you have to go any distance, Amtrak literally takes days to get you anywhere. Maybe if we had a rail system that was developed it might be a viable option, but for those of us who don’t have the time to spend 3 days crossing the country, the only way to get their is to fly.
Airlines can do what they do at indoor sports activities like arena football. Sell sponsorships for everything. When a flag was thrown on a play the announcer said, “This flag was brought to you by Geico Insurance.”
I couldn’t believe it. But later learned that every pause in the game from penalties to field goals were up for grabs.
The airlines should do this too. The steward(ess) could announce, “The refreshments on this flight are brought to you by Planters, where we’re nuts for Sky Blue.”
#14, that I probably wouldn’t care about since once the plane takes off I put on my headphones and read my book. Perhaps that’s why they don’t do it, because they know many people would just not pay attention.
I may not be a huge fan of Southwest, but I have to admit this commercial is funny in light of this news.
This isn’t news. When they charge for plain water in a cup from the tap that will be news and grounds for a good class action.
#17 – Bobbolina
I imagine that if most airlines didn’t treat their customers like stinking piles of dog shit, and annoyance to be dealt with as quickly and with as little effort as possible, there wouldn’t be all this fuss over a $2.00 bottle of water.
People don’t mind paying if they’re getting something. But when the airlines make it seem as though they’re doing the passengers a favor just by being there, we expect a fucking bottle of “free” water for our troubles.
#2 – Greg
>>And it won’t be a 20oz bottle of water. $2 for
>>a 12oz on the place or $1.29 for 20oz at the
>>gate.
You must be flying first class. Where I sit, you don’t even get a 12oz bottle of water. It’s a tiny one (maybe 6oz).
I’ve got you beat on the price of the 20oz bottle in the terminal, though. I don’t buy concessions in the terminal, as a rule, but the 20oz bottles are more like $2.50.
I figured that this was coming. It really doesn’t bother me. They obviously need to raise revenue, as they all (accept Southwest) lost money last year. I’ll continue to pick up my 2 dollar bottle of water in the terminal and carry it on like I always have done.
At least that should speed drink service. Of course the real reason they did this was so they only have to carry 1/4 of the ammount of refreshments on board. So when you get stuck on the tarmac for 6 hours, things will get misserable even quicker.
Don
My personal way to protest is to bring onboard a huge meal — the messier and smellier the better.
I know it POs the flight attendants and degrades the flying experience for everybody else but that’s my plan.
My hope is their dissatisfaction will trickle up to management.
And, of course, I enjoy my meal.
OH… I forgot to ask.
They won’t let you carry on water through security, right?
What a racket.
#22. So what do you do, eat it with your fingers?
#24 – McCullough
No, you bring on a couple of giant burritos with plenty of garlic and onions. And (at least so far) they haven’t banned towels in the carry-on bags, so it’s easy enough to clean up. Then stuff the wrappers in the seat pocket in front of you, to stink for the rest of the 5-hour flight.
See how easy?
Yeah no water thru the security check. They are looking at movie theaters for ideas now.
US Air is terrible. I had a confirmed ticket and was on time, but the flight was delayed, to the point where my second flight would probably me missed. They changed me to a standby for another flight.
What they should do is take away the protectionism for the airlines and let free trade happen. We end up with better quality and the US companies have to shape up or go bankrupt.
#25. so you punish other passengers to protest the airlines. I get your point but really…..
if this country had a high speed rail network in place, there’d be no need for these crackpot airlines.
What needs to happen is about half the airlines need to disappear, have a handful of efficient airline companies, get rid of the idiotic TSA screeners whose sole job it is to make your life miserable and your trip unenjoyable.
Get businesses to quit sending their employees all over the place and start teleconferencing. Families staying at home instead of needlessly flying to a vacation that they’ve been on many times before. Start using air travel smartly and get rid of the congestion.
How about opening some more airports and runways?
They don’t call them US Scareways for nothing.
#27 – Mac
>>so you punish other passengers to protest
>>the airlines. I get your point but really…..
Yep. I’m like the Abbie Hoffman of 21st-century air travel.
We need a fucking revolution.
Sorry if some folks have to smell onions and garlic for the duration of their flight. Boo frickety hoo. Too bad. So sad.
Better that than they be shipped off to Gitmo.
The airlines need to be taken down.
Let’s require that all the airline execs fly incognito/ coach class wherever they go.
See how soon service improves.