Remember the days when you would board an aircraft, nestle into your economy seat and rock back to take in a airline feesmovie, have a complimentary light meal and non-alcoholic beverage? Once upon a time, flight attendants would shake you awake to have a cup of coffee or juice if you happened to doze off when the beverage cart was making its rounds.

Air travel in 2009 seems to be heralding in quite a different era.

Not to trivialize the changes that the airline industry has undergone in the past few years of course. The terrible events of September 11 have forever changed air traffic security procedures resulting in vast increases in costs to ensure the safety of the traveling public. Added to that gas prices have surged way past anything we ever thought possible further pushing up the cost of travel.

As if to add insult to injury, although gas prices fell, the resultant global economic slowdown has also put a spoke in the wheels of international leisure travel, causing a notable dip in ticket sales.

These circumstances have all conspired to bring us to the point we are at today.

Let’s look at a few of the most recent price increases or otherwise ridiculous cutbacks:

  • Most airlines have cut out meals on domestic flights and as a matter of fact if you want a little snack come prepared to shell out $3 to $4 if you’re on an American Airlines flight.
  • US Airways stopped offering pillows to economy class passengers in February 2009. Economy travelers can bring their own or buy a Power Nap Sak emblazoned with the US Airways logo for $7. The little kit includes a pillow, neck brace and fleece blanket. Jet Blue Airways has a similar package for the same price.
  • British Airways instituted a charge for choosing your seat in advance. Economy class passengers can expect to pay £20 while business class travelers will pay £50 from  October 7th, 2009.
  • US Airways and Continental Airways have both added a baggage fee as well. Continental Airways charges $20 for the first checked bag and $30 for the second. US Airways has the same fee but if you decide to pay it at the airport instead of online when you book your ticket, you get to hand over an additional $5 on each bag, just for the inconvenience.

This is all evidence that airlines have been adding seemingly spurious charges on to the end price just to plump up their bottom lines. Makes you wonder whatever happened to operational efficiency?

Most Recent Price Increase

The usual suspects Continental and United Airways, American Airlines, Delta and US Airways and Northwest have all banded together to implement a $10 charge, each way, simply for booking on peak days. The charge was originally only on the three days around Thanksgiving and New Year’s Day, but it was extended to include a period extending into the first quarter of 2010.

The new peak dates subject to the charge are as follows:

  • November 29 – November 30, 2009:  Weekend after Thanksgiving
  • December 19:  Saturday before Christmas
  • December 26 – December 27:  Weekend after Christmas
  • January 2 – January 3, 2010:  Weekend after New Year’s Day
  • March 14, 2010:  Sunday before many student spring breaks
  • March 20 – March 21, 2010:  Weekend after many student spring breaks
  • March 28, 2010:  Palm Sunday, weekend before Easter
  • April 11, 2010:  Monday of Easter, weekend after Easter
  • May 28, 2010:  Friday before Memorial Day

While a $10 fee each way may seem harmless, looking at the trend, and adding up the toll from food to seat requests to baggage charges you have to wonder… what next?

If consumers aren’t responsive we may be looking at paying for flotation devices and air masks down the road.