Airline additional charges

[GlasgowGirl]

I know budget airlines have always added extra charges on to their fares for baggage etc, but is the practice spreading? I've recently booked flights with flyglobespan, who I think of as a cheap but not bargain basement airline, and I had to pay to put any luggage at all in the hold. I'm sure I didn't have to do this last time I flew with them. Is this likely to become standard practice, do you think?

[Tony]

I think they will try whatever they can to get more money out of us while hiding the true cost of the flight from the headline price. Credit card surcharges, paying for meals, fuel surcharges etc etc.

Tony

[Paul Carcone]

I'm afraid that stealthy price levies are likely to become more and more prevalent...

The only thing that will stop this practice will be customers refusing to use the airline in question. I, for example, will go to almost any length to avoid using Ryanair.

However, even quality airlines are beginning to charge an incredible amount for certain services. I recently flew from London to Tblilisi on a Business Class ticket (costing around £1,600) and was charged a further £420 for just under 40kg of extra luggage. It worked out at about £12 per kilo...and this is even more expensive than Ryanair's 15 EUR per kg excess.

Hopefully, with the price of oil dropping at the moment, we might see a reduction in fares are surcharges...but I would expect that this windfall will be retained by the airlines themselves as comptetion is not particularly fierce in all but the transatlantic routes.

[glider3560]

I suppose rather than thinking of them as extra charges, just include them in the price of the flights when you compare. They may still work out cheaper! It is also a farer system if people pay for what they actually use.

[happywriter]

I am trying to find comparison sites which include all costs of normal airline travel.
I would list them as airport entrance at departure to airport exit at destination, including 20 kgs of hold baggage + one carry on bag.

From a users viewpoint, I don't really care - nor have any control - of the tax paid by the airline to the airport, nor any of their other taxes. etc.
If the airline reckons it can fly without paying for fuel that would be ok; but why should I buy a ticket - then be charged extra for some of the fuel the plane uses!
In that case the ticket, without fuel surcharge, must be fraudulant; as it would be without any value. It does not provide the service or goods advertised.

[rollingstock]

Spreading is a slight term, I would say the additional charges are viral.

Really take me back to a time where the price you paid was the full price where all services are opted in.

[happywriter]

I realise that many politicians are a bit busy now, but I consider that the consumer protection acts should be invoked in many cases. Misleading adverts are used to entice a person to book on a plane offering a service of flight between two locations for a price.
That price is often a lie, as the plane cannot fly without the fuel which is charged as an extra; nor cannot it take off or land without paying the airport taxes which are often charged extra.