Maybe I’ve been flying so much lately that any remaining thrill has completely worn off. Or can it be possible that it is getting EVEN MORE unpleasant to fly? It’s definitely getting tougher out there for anyone hauling around a roller-bag: Finding a spot in the overhead bins is getting more and more difficult as baggage fees drive people to shove as much as possible into suitcases—doing anything to avoid charges that go to +$40 a bag on some airlines. Settling into a flight recently on a whirlwind trip that had me schlepping from NYC to Boston to Miami to Montreal, I savored a last-minute, Hail Mary upgrade that plucked me from the mayhem of knee-to-chin seating and fighting for bin space in the back to the relatively more spacious calm of first class. Surveying the jammed-to-the-gills plane, a fellow road-warrior seatmate shook his head, saying, “If anyone thinks this life is glamorous…..” And he was right. It’s not. Not even remotely.
Desperate to drive revenue and profit to combat rising fuel costs and declining travel, airlines are now seeking to extract additional money from the remaining people who fly—and in turn are rapidly and systematically degrading the flying experience. I can’t think of another category in which the major players consistently make moves that make the experience worse. Technology, hospitality, automotive…all these industries seem focused on innovation and improvement—driving better value and experience for consumers. Meanwhile, the airlines steadily chip away, layering fee upon fee for bags, scheduling changes, leg room, aisle seats, food, you name it….
A recent NYT article about how airlines are starting to use social media to allow passengers to connect (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/24/business/global/selecting-a-seatmate-to-make-skies-friendlier.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=business), showcased one of the latest innovations in air travel. Some airlines in Asia and Europe are now charging passengers up to $60 to let them request to have an empty seat next to theirs. Wow. Passengers are now paying, literally, for nothing. Somewhere, the accountants are doing handsprings.
Craig Bida
Originally published 2/24/12
Desperate to drive revenue and profit to combat rising fuel costs and declining travel, airlines are now seeking to extract additional money from the remaining people who fly—and in turn are rapidly and systematically degrading the flying experience. I can’t think of another category in which the major players consistently make moves that make the experience worse. Technology, hospitality, automotive…all these industries seem focused on innovation and improvement—driving better value and experience for consumers. Meanwhile, the airlines steadily chip away, layering fee upon fee for bags, scheduling changes, leg room, aisle seats, food, you name it….
A recent NYT article about how airlines are starting to use social media to allow passengers to connect (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/24/business/global/selecting-a-seatmate-to-make-skies-friendlier.html?_r=1&src=me&ref=business), showcased one of the latest innovations in air travel. Some airlines in Asia and Europe are now charging passengers up to $60 to let them request to have an empty seat next to theirs. Wow. Passengers are now paying, literally, for nothing. Somewhere, the accountants are doing handsprings.
Craig Bida
Originally published 2/24/12