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US airlines are pushing to remove protections for passengers and add more fees

(www.travelandtourworld.com)
663 points duxup | 5 comments | 24 Sep 25 12:30 UTC | HN request time: 0.858s | source
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bsimpson ◴[24 Sep 25 13:24 UTC] No.45359986[source]▶
I'd be curious to see how the all-in price of airline tickets has evolved in recent decades. It feels like it's now commonplace to have hundreds of dollars in additional fees for things like legroom. That means a cheap ticket is a midrange ticket and a midrange ticket can end up being quite expensive unless you fall for the "we get to strap you behind the bathroom with only the clothes on your back" Saver ticket.

It also means that you're often still out actual money if you use award miles.

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izacus ◴[24 Sep 25 13:30 UTC] No.45360069[source]▶
Hundreds of dollars for legroom? Are you... sure? For what kind of flights?
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tclancy ◴[24 Sep 25 13:38 UTC] No.45360186[source]▶
US flights (99% of what I have experienced) definitely can get into three figures for anything other than "middle seat, way back". They know there's at least a built-in audience of taller people who will spring for legroom on any flight over an hour. And now that I am old and tall, an aisle seat and legroom are incredibly valuable to me (don't tell 'em, ok?).
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1. Y_Y ◴[24 Sep 25 13:49 UTC] No.45360356[source]▶
Oddly there is no such premium for wide people. I understand (somewhat) price discriminating based on the quantity of space required by the passenger (for comfort or from physical necessity), but then why does this apply to one dimension and not the other.

I'm not even talking about pay-by-weight as was famously tried between pacific islands. Nobody wants to have someone spilling over the armrest into their seat, and I'm sure plenty of people who are wider than the seat would like to fit without going first class. I'm not even so unusually sized, but cannot sit in the aisle without being hit by every person and trolley passing by.

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2. jdlshore ◴[24 Sep 25 14:13 UTC] No.45360699[source]▶
Most airlines require very wide people to buy an extra seat. The requirement is that they have to be able to lower the armrest.
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3. toast0 ◴[24 Sep 25 16:20 UTC] No.45362531[source]▶
There's rules for passengers and airlines... but enforcement is limited, because who wants to slow down boarding by checking.

And compliance is hard for passengers, because you have to call in to book the special case, and who wants to call in?

But theoretically, a passenger that will encroach on an adjacent seat can pay for the extra seat (I don't know if they need to also pay for seat assignment to get two seats next to each other), and then if the flight doesn't actually sell out, the extra seat fee is refundable. But when you actually board, people will see the 'empty' seat and try to sit in it, even though you paid for it. Etc.

4. brewdad ◴[25 Sep 25 19:01 UTC] No.45377322[source]▶
Delta is famous for selling that second seat out from under passengers who planned ahead. It shouldn't be legal but apparently is. There is a way to get that second seat permanently linked to your primary one but it involves calling and speaking to an agent. Online purchases won't be protected.
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5. jdlshore ◴[01 Oct 25 10:35 UTC] No.45436195{3}[source]▶
Well, yes, their site says clearly that you need to talk to an agent to arrange this. (It also says they’ll refund it if the plane isn’t sold out.)