JetBlue, United jump on Twitter for cheap tix

by Tom Johansmeyer on

JetBlue and United Airlines are pushing the first taste of cheap fares out on Twitter. They hope to use what USA Today calls the “uber-trendy form of messaging” to push seats on flights that may have vacant seats prior to wheels-up. After deals appear, they don’t always stick around long. JetBlue’s first “Cheep” (a variation on “tweet”) offered a $9 one-way fare from JFK to Nantucket. The model that’s emerging puts JetBlue’s fare tweets out on Monday mornings and offers around eight hours to act on them.

United Airlines has had its “twares” in action since May, and the element of surprise is a factor. The discounts can be released without warning, and there’s no discernable schedule. The deals can live for as little as two hours, forcing Twitter-using travelers to act fast.

United reduces cost of mileage tickets

by Grant Martin on

Amidst all of the increased fees and reduced services plaguing the airlines these days, it’s refreshing to actually see a change that goes the customers’ way. Albeit temporarily, United just reduced the number of frequent flyer miles necessary to book a free ticket on the airline. Reductions range from 20% to almost 30%. Domestic travel, for example, has been reduced from 25K miles to 20K miles, while a ticket from the US to Australia ihas been reduced from 80K to 64K. Europe, on the other hand, which normally costs 50-60K on other airlines costs 44K on United. Not a bad deal.

You can see the price reductions and book directly at United.com for travel between August 18th and November 18th.

Why the sudden generosity? Well, demand is way down this year, and with the end of tourist season bringing further reductions, airlines are going to have a ton of extra space on their airplanes. It’s better to have a seat booked with a fee-paying passenger than an empty seat altogether, right?

“United Breaks Guitars,” by Sons of Maxwell, whose guitars were broken by (you guessed it) United

by Aaron Hotfelder on

Back in early 2008, the band Sons of Maxwell was traveling on United Airlines from Halifax to Omaha when they stopped to change planes at O’Hare Airport in Chicago. While they were seated in the airplane, the woman behind them shouted, “My God, they’re throwing guitars out there!”

Sure enough, the band members looked out the window just in time to see the baggage handlers tossing around their $3500 guitars like they were grandpa’s suitcases. When United Airlines refused to take responsibility for the significant damage that happened to the band’s Taylor guitars, the band promised the airline they’d write three songs about the incident. The video for the first song, which is pretty funny and also quite catchy, can be seen above.

A United spokesperson says the airline has contacted the band directly to “make things right.” The spokesperson also says she “loved” the video.

New fees aren’t new, but airlines keep trying

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Cheaper fares are being offset by an array of extra fees, as airlines try to bring in some extra revenue in order to keep planes in the sky. And, to a certain extent, it’s working. United Airlines forecasts $1 billion in revenue from these fees this year – accounting for more than 5 percent of its revenue. But, as they try to find new ways to dig into your wallet, fewer and fewer new ideas are popping up, according to an article in MSNBC.

US Airways and United have found that the best new fee is just the same ol’ one: put one fee on top of an existing one. Passengers who pay their extra baggage fees online can avoid an additional $5 fee that’s assessed at the airport. United’s came into effect on June 10, 2009, with US Airways’ bringing it to life on July 9. AirTran is nailing passengers for the extra legroom of an exit row to the tune of $20. Again, it’s not new … it’s just new to AirTran’s passengers.

You don’t need to be big to think big. Smaller airlines are getting in on the game, too. Allegiant Air charges a $13.50 “convenience fee” for passengers wanting to buy their tickets online. This one actually is fairly new, as most airlines realize that they can save a fortune by using technology (who’d’ve thunk it?) to sell things instead of paying people more for a slower process. Spanish airline Vueling makes you pay for choice. Want to pick your seat? Pay €3 (around $4.50). Another €30 will get you an aisle or window – and an empty aisle seat beside you! That’s a deal I’d definitely pay for.

Of course, Ryanair remains the master. If you want to check in at the airport: €10 ($13.50). So, you decide to save some cash and check in online … €5. You can’t win!

Only a year ago, most passengers were able to dodge the fees, since you didn’t get slammed until you checked a third bag or sent an unaccompanied minor into the sky. Today, nothing’s sacred. Delta and AirTran claim not to have plans to charge for carry-ons … but why would they say that? Clearly, it’s crossed somebody’s mind.

The only way to beat the fees, it seems, is to fly first class. Hey, if you’re already paying a fortune, the airlines will probably want to treat you well.

Misery works: airlines making money on baggage fees

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The one thing nobody says about the “nickel and dime” strategy is that it can work. For the airline industry, charging passengers for extra bags translated to more than $1 billion in lifeblood to a struggling business last year, according to the Department of Transportation. As much as you may hate to shell out that extra cash, last year, it went to businesses that desperately needed it.

Before the financial decay spread to every corner of the business community last year, airlines typically allowed two pieces of checked luggage per person and charged for anything else that followed. Then, United Airlines started demanding that passengers throw down $25 for a second bag, with US Airways following to the tune of $15.

It adds. Up. United brought in an extra $133 million. Delta picked up an extra $177 million. American Airlines wins with $278 million last year from baggage fees. Even Southwest Airlines pulled in an extra $25 million. Rick Seaney, CEO of Farecompare.com, believes that baggage fees could be worth up to $3.5 billion in 2009.