Airfares have been falling for some
time now but overall spending on air travel has been slightly increasing – how
can this be? The answer lies in the transaction fees. The deadly sins of the
airline travel industry. In this post, and in our continuing one next time, we
take a two part light-hearted look at how airlines use these human emotions to
turn a profit and – naturally – we have a few tips to shun them and hopefully
save you some cash.
Lust
Lust in airline fees is the need to
choose the most desirable seat. These days so many airlines charge you for the
‘privilege’ of choosing a window or aisle seat that it no longer comes as a
surprise. This is plain wrong. It works on the human desire to have the
desirable but cunningly – like all hidden airline fees – hides it at the time
of your purchase and then snares you later when you have no choice. Don’t lust
after extra leg room, choose an airline that does not charge you to choose.
Gluttony
Always wanting more than they
deserve in airline industry terms is charging extra for fuel as part of
frequent flyer award seats. Fuel surcharges are a nasty and gluttonous way that
some airlines treat their most loyal customers. Not satisfied with having you
for a year as a frequent flyer (this is not cheap) they then want you to pay
more to access the privileges membership brings. You probably don’t realize the
full extent of fuel surcharging when you sign up for a loyalty program – our
advice is simple: do you homework and avoid the gluttonous.
Greed
Preferred boarding and Express Seats
represent greed in the airline industry. They have made the boarding process so
unpleasant that they can charge you to avoid it. This is pure, unbridled greed
on their part. It also plays on your greed, something that you may not think of
as necessary in normal life; airlines encourage you to want it so much, you’re
willing to pay more than $20 for it. Resist the temptation – either put up with
having to get on the plane with the normal passengers, or book a higher class
ticket from the outset.
Sloth
Overbearing laziness in the context
of booking air travel is making you pay to book online or collect your tickets
at the airport. This relies on you not knowing or not having the time to find
out the exact booking policy for each carrier. This is truly sloth-like: The
internet is supposed to reduce the cost of things by automating processes. Take
the time to find out if you are going to get stung by hidden fees in advance
and avoid the pain.
Deadly but Human
That’s it for part one, next time
look forward to wrath, envy and pride. Despite what we have said, the airline industry
is not evil – just human. They are trying to increase the bottom line and are
using human sins as a route to hidden charges. Forewarned is forearmed:
hopefully you will now know when booking air travel if your human fallacies are
being targeted.
Philadelphia Limousine will not hide
our costs or charge you later for your deadly sins. We have been serving
customers with ground transportation and limousine service in the Greater Philadelphia Area
for over fifteen years and are proud of the reputation that we have built as an
honest organization – with valued and loyal customers. From the moment that we
answer your call all the way through reaching your final destination, Philadelphia Limo Service is luxury travel done right.
