Web: www.fishfoto.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com
6/10/2008 - Save Money By Being A Loyal Frequent Flyer
Did you know that loyalty to an airline, or airline alliance, can save you 5%-7% in travel expenses?
Each year there are nearly a dozen business travel forecasts I read. These annual travel forecasts vary widely and I am often left wondering if these analysts are looking at the same data to make their decisions.
This year, looking at the 2009 business travel forecast, there is one constant I am seeing. This one common cost increase is related to the 'unbundling' of services. Unbundling includes cost increases, such as the much talked about additional charges for checked baggage. The newly unbundled fees can increase the costs of airline travel by as much as much as 5%-7% (if you travel with extensive photographic equipment it can be more than a 50% cost increase on some routes).
Checked baggage fees bring significant revenue to airlines. Northwest Airlines reports a revenue of more than US$300,000 daily in checked baggage fees.
So what can loyalty to an airline, or an airline alliance, do to reduce your travel expenses? It can save you fees on your checked baggage, in some cases completely eliminating these fees.
The following are some US airline checked baggage fees, for domestic travel each way:
United Airlines : $15 - first bag / $50 - second bag / $125 - third bag
US Airways: $15 - first bag / $25 - second bag / $100 - third bag
Delta Airlines: $0 - first bag / $50 second bag
Northwest Airlines: $15 - first bag / $25 - second bag / $100 - third bag
Continental Airlines: $15 - first bag / $25 - second bag
American Airlines: $15 - first bag / $25 - second bag / $100 - third bag
For flyers who earn Star Alliance Star Silver or Star Gold ; SkyTeam Elite or Elite Plus ; OneWorld Ruby, Sapphire or Emerald can have some, or all, of these baggage fees can be waived.
Elite status with the above airlines begins at only 25,000 miles.
25,000 miles is equal to five round-trips between New York and Los Angeles; two and a half round trips between Washington-Dulles and Honolulu; three and a half round trips between Boston and Amsterdam; one round trip between Newark and Tokyo via Singapore.
For those who fly often and don't sort out the value of your loyalty, you may want to look at your estimated travel for the next year and sort out what airline, or airline alliance, may be best for you to pick up your elite status.
There are other perks to being a frequent flyer, but with the cost of living rising, many flyers are more interested in saving money that catching upgrades.
Happy Flying!
Showing posts with label airline baggage fees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label airline baggage fees. Show all posts
06 October 2008
23 August 2008
Airline Fees For Surfboards Wipeout Surfers?
Web: www.thetravelstrategist.com -- E-Mail: fish@flyingwithfish.com
23/08/2008 - Airline Fees For Surfboards Wipeout Traveling Surfers?
Yesterday evening I would an interesting article in the Los Angles Times that cited exorbitant fees for flying with surfboards.
While I have not surfed in years (and I do miss it, I grew up spending 7 days a week at the beach all summer long) I have been an avid snowboarder for two decades and see these fees as completely out of line for my fellow 'boarders.'
Surfboards are being singled out for excess fees while many airlines have no fees for golf clubs or skis & snowboards. Delta Airlines, for example, allows a set of golf clubs, or a single ski/snowboard bag to fly for free if they are under 50lbs, while they now charge a fee of US$175 each way for a surfboard to fly on their US domestic routes and US$300 each way on international routes. Additionally, Delta now charges a US$20 fee, each way. For surfboards to fly on Honolulu and Maui routes.
Continental charges US$100 each way for a quiver bag of up to two boards and United is US$85 each way for boards under 109"(277cm) and US$170 for boards longer than 109"(277cm). I see the $170 fee as more of a special handing fee for over-sized items.
Surfboards while longer and wider than golf clubs and skis/snowboards generally weight less than skis/snowboards when packed with boots and they certainly weigh less than flying with golf clubs.
British Airways has actually banned flying with surfboards on their airline since the Fall-of-2007. British Airways has also banned Kayaks, yet it remains a premier sponsor the British Olympic Team and the 2012 Olympics in London where they are of course the Olympic Sport of Kayaking.......of course no Olympic Kayaker will be able to travel on British Airways.
Airlines are citing 'higher costs of fuel' for transporting surfboards. I can see a potential 'handing fee' for surfboards due to the size, but the actual weight of a surfboard vs that of a set of golf clubs would indicate a significantly higher baggage fee for golf clubs than a surfboard.
If the airlines are going to cite ‘fuel fees’ they really need to be consistent and not single out a single group of travelers. If airlines want a more consistent source of revenue, single out the golfers. Golfers fly with more weight, fly more consistently for ‘business golf outings’ and are more likely to ‘expense’ the cost when traveling on business.
Are you a surfer looking to enjoy good waves, good weather and no fee to fly with your board? Check out Australia and New Zealand, as neither Qantas nor Air New Zealand is charging to fly with your boards, even when traveling with your quiver.
Happy Flying!
23/08/2008 - Airline Fees For Surfboards Wipeout Traveling Surfers?
Yesterday evening I would an interesting article in the Los Angles Times that cited exorbitant fees for flying with surfboards.
While I have not surfed in years (and I do miss it, I grew up spending 7 days a week at the beach all summer long) I have been an avid snowboarder for two decades and see these fees as completely out of line for my fellow 'boarders.'
Surfboards are being singled out for excess fees while many airlines have no fees for golf clubs or skis & snowboards. Delta Airlines, for example, allows a set of golf clubs, or a single ski/snowboard bag to fly for free if they are under 50lbs, while they now charge a fee of US$175 each way for a surfboard to fly on their US domestic routes and US$300 each way on international routes. Additionally, Delta now charges a US$20 fee, each way. For surfboards to fly on Honolulu and Maui routes.
Continental charges US$100 each way for a quiver bag of up to two boards and United is US$85 each way for boards under 109"(277cm) and US$170 for boards longer than 109"(277cm). I see the $170 fee as more of a special handing fee for over-sized items.
Surfboards while longer and wider than golf clubs and skis/snowboards generally weight less than skis/snowboards when packed with boots and they certainly weigh less than flying with golf clubs.
British Airways has actually banned flying with surfboards on their airline since the Fall-of-2007. British Airways has also banned Kayaks, yet it remains a premier sponsor the British Olympic Team and the 2012 Olympics in London where they are of course the Olympic Sport of Kayaking.......of course no Olympic Kayaker will be able to travel on British Airways.
Airlines are citing 'higher costs of fuel' for transporting surfboards. I can see a potential 'handing fee' for surfboards due to the size, but the actual weight of a surfboard vs that of a set of golf clubs would indicate a significantly higher baggage fee for golf clubs than a surfboard.
If the airlines are going to cite ‘fuel fees’ they really need to be consistent and not single out a single group of travelers. If airlines want a more consistent source of revenue, single out the golfers. Golfers fly with more weight, fly more consistently for ‘business golf outings’ and are more likely to ‘expense’ the cost when traveling on business.
Are you a surfer looking to enjoy good waves, good weather and no fee to fly with your board? Check out Australia and New Zealand, as neither Qantas nor Air New Zealand is charging to fly with your boards, even when traveling with your quiver.
Happy Flying!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
