MSE News: Government to crackdown on airline charges

Former_MSE_Guy

This is the discussion thread for the following MSE News Story:

"The Government will finally crackdown on airline booking sites that flout European rules by automatically adding insurance and other optional costs to travel arrangements ..."

Read the full story:

Government to crackdown on airline charges

FATBALLZ

The absolute worst charge is the £12 each way some airlines charge you to have seating together. There is absolutely no reason or cost for the airline to have to charge you this, it's pure blackmail along the lines of 'give us another £24 or we might split your family up'. I have a young baby who we're taking on holiday and I've refused to pay this charge on principle - but if the airline does not sit me and my partner together (the baby is too young to have it's own seat) I am going to kick off big time - it isn't just me who is going to be unhappy if me and my partner can't look after our baby together, whoever we are sat next to isn't going to be pleased if the baby starts pooping, crying, eating messily etc.

Ironically the airline everybody loves to hate and slag off for it's charges, ryanair, doesn't indulge in this blackmail because it doesn't have allocated seating.

cactusdust

FATBALLZ wrote: »

The absolute worst charge is the £12 each way some airlines charge you to have seating together. There is absolutely no reason or cost for the airline to have to charge you this, it's pure blackmail along the lines of 'give us another £24 or we might split your family up'. I have a young baby who we're taking on holiday and I've refused to pay this charge on principle - but if the airline does not sit me and my partner together (the baby is too young to have it's own seat) I am going to kick off big time - it isn't just me who is going to be unhappy if me and my partner can't look after our baby together, whoever we are sat next to isn't going to be pleased if the baby starts pooping, crying, eating messily etc.

Ironically the airline everybody loves to hate and slag off for it's charges, ryanair, doesn't indulge in this blackmail because it doesn't have allocated seating.

Its called making money- not blackmailing anyone. Its not a hidden charge and totally discretionary.

Mr_Lahey

I'm thinking the government should clamp down on its own 'taxes' added to airline tickets.

malkie76

I completely agree with you!

None of these charges are hidden, so whats the problem ?

metalgal

does anybody remember when you booked a flight and were given one price that included everything? Now its all broken down and companies finding new and inventive "extras" like charges for meals, baggage, even one company i know of, though there are probably others, that charge £5pp for the luxury of having a seat on the plane. (it was for a long haul flight). Also the "carbon offset charge" is an absolute joke. I wasn't aware paying money would magically mean that the plane i was flying on produced less CO2. Its just annoying when they charge you extra for things that used to be included as standard.

i think if i win the lottery i will do all my travel by cruise ship. They don't charge you a "life jacket fee" or "seat in life boat fee" and it is a much more pleasant experience anyway :-)

whatmichaelsays

metalgal wrote: »

does anybody remember when you booked a flight and were given one price that included everything? Now its all broken down and companies finding new and inventive "extras" like charges for meals, baggage, even one company i know of, though there are probably others, that charge £5pp for the luxury of having a seat on the plane. (it was for a long haul flight). Also the "carbon offset charge" is an absolute joke. I wasn't aware paying money would magically mean that the plane i was flying on produced less CO2. Its just annoying when they charge you extra for things that used to be included as standard.

And rightly so.

Some passengers don't want to fly with hold luggage - therefore they should pay less than those who want to use that facility.
Some don't want to eat or drink on the plane - therefore they should pay less than those who do (and what chemical is it in the human body that makes people want to eat something the second that a plane door is shut?)
Some of us aren't bothered where we sit or how quickly we get on the plane - those who do should pay extra for that service.

If people want to use these services, they should pay for them. Don't expect me to subsidise your flying by bundling services that I don't need "as standard".

Paddy2eyes

Isn't this the same government that increased air passenger duty in November 09 and is increasing it again in November this year, meaning their taxes on certain routes have more than doubled within two years. All that extra tax is good for the environment though!

spiro

Paddy2eyes wrote: »

All that extra tax is good for the environment though!

It would be if the government used the taxes we paid on the service they were paid for i.e. NI on health care etc, Car Tax on transport, Airport Tax on environmental projects.

FATBALLZ

cactusdust wrote: »

Its called making money- not blackmailing anyone. Its not a hidden charge and totally discretionary.

It is blackmail. It is no different to if tesco started charging £20 on entrace for a 'discretionary' service whereby if you pay, the duty manager will not come up behind you halfway through your shop and happy slap you.

It costs zero to provide the 'service', it's just as easy to provide the service as to not provide the service, therefore it is just blackmail.

edgex

cactusdust wrote: »

Its called making money- not blackmailing anyone. Its not a hidden charge and totally discretionary.

surely its common sense / standard practice on every other service that when people book more than 1 ticket as part of a transaction, they get seats assigned next to each other?


if tis discretionary, will they release the figures that show how many people buy multiple tickets but dont then want to sit together?
those figures would then show that maybe 50% of people pay the charge.