Spirit Airlines announcement that it wanted to charge up to $45 for carry-on bags brought this facetious response from Kevin Huffman writing in The Washington Post: How about charging passengers by the pound?
This latest ignominy follows on the heels of charges for meals, checked luggage and exit-row seats. Some airlines even charge for blankets and pillows.
Flight attendants are in favor, hoping that the fee reduces the “out of control” passenger bags crisis. “I know I am personally shocked that passengers bring clothes and supplies when they travel long distances. It’s very inconsiderate,” writes Huffman
People often talk wistfully about the golden age of air travel, lamenting that it used to be glamorous, with well-dressed patrons, cooked meals and silverware. Huffman said:
“Spirit is bringing us one critical step closer to the super-cheap seats, where we just strap people face-down across the wings. You want aviator goggles? 30 bucks!”
Here is the reality: traveling by air costs money. Airlines have fixed costs (e.g. employees) and variable costs (e.g. fuel). Adding passengers and carry-ons increases the variables, but not the fixed. So Huffman suggests stopping the nickel-and-diming and just do the whole thing by weight.
“Airlines can put out giant livestock scales, and each passenger can step on with all luggage, checked and carry-on. Airlines can charge us a buck a pound, and — voila! We are incented to get in shape and to pack lightly, and airlines have a meaningful fee structure,” Huffman says.
He concludes:
“Most importantly, airlines can finally end the pretense that passengers are treasured customers and treat us the way they really view us. Mooo!”
By David Wilkening
