James sent this ‘toon. It reflects the current air travel environment with beleaguered airlines employing tactics used successfully by telephone and utility companies to bolster their bottom lines — add-on fees. The strategy is to remove all perks and comforts, then gradually reintroduce them as part of an à la carte menu of fee based options. Baggage fees were first, presumably to test the water, and now there’s talk of charging a premium for aisle and window seats.
Where will it end? It won’t, not unless passengers decide not to fly at all. Vacation train travel, or simply staying home, seem more attractive options every day.
Of course, business travelers are stuck between a rock and a hard place, and the airlines will likely continue to stick it to them. But even business travelers will cry uncle at some point. Or will they? More likely, corporate America will simply pass on the additional costs of doing business to consumers.