14 August 2008

Stingiest airlines in new fees

Friendliest to stingiest airlinesââ¬~¦in terms of new fees? Many would agree with Time Magazineââ¬â¢s assessment: It  ranked US Airways stingiest, partly for charging for water, and Southwest the friendliest (and having the most fun with their ââ¬ÅâœBags Fly Freeââ¬~ advertising).

Here are the other winners and losers.

Southwest was ranked #1 for being ââ¬Åâœthe one major airline that is bucking the trend of increasing feesââ¬~

Virgin America was given a ââ¬ÅâœA pretty good dealââ¬~ rating. Number 3 Delta ââ¬Åâœhas done the best job of holding the line on fees.ââ¬~

JetBlue was ranked fourth for being ââ¬Åâœstill relatively flyer-friendly.ââ¬Å✠Continental followed for still offering free meals such as sandwiches and pizza.

Northwest came out #6 (ââ¬Åâœrecently increased the fee for making flight changes to $150ââ¬~), American was next (ââ¬ÅâœAlso hitting you up for $150 to make flight changes, and charging $15 to $25 for the first and second checked bagââ¬~), followed by United (ââ¬ÅâœAn extra wrinkle  --  the highest standby fee in the business: $75 if you want to fly standby on a different flight the same dayââ¬~).

 US Air ranked at the bottom in part for breaking ââ¬Åâœnew ground by starting to charge for all beverages.ââ¬~

Report by David Wilkening

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• Southwest not necessarily so friendly
  
  

  Recently I flew into Providence on United and met a friend who flew in on Southwest. We both had to file missing bag claims. United agreed to deliver my bag to my destination (Cape Cod...a two hour drive)as soon as it arrived. However, Southwest claimed that because my friend checked in late at her departure airport (not an hour in advance), they were not responsible for her missing bag. They would deliver it for a fee or she would have to return to the airport to pick it up when it arrived. Kudos to United staff who agreed to deliver my friend's bag along with mine.

  By Lisa lanna, Thursday, August 21, 2008