Tampe AZ – Charging for checked luggage and legroom isn’t enough for some carriers — starting today, coach passengers flying aboard US Airways Inc. must pay for a drink of water.
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This morning, US Airways began charging fliers $2 for bottled water and sodas and $1 for teas and coffees. First class members, trans-Atlantic passengers and a select group of others are exempt from the extra fees.
“This is another clever way to masquerade airfare increases without increasing airfares,” says Randy Petersen, editor of Inside Flyer Magazine. “Everything has been passed along to the consumer.”
Continental Airlines Inc. — one of the few airlines left that serves free meals on certain domestic flights — says it is unlikely to abandon its free beverage service. Continental says charging for a soda would detract from passenger comfort. “That’s always been our philosophy, and it’s one that works well with us,” says spokeswoman Julie King.
US Airways says it will provide water and drinks for passengers in cases of medical emergency and during extensive delays. If a desperately thirsty passenger does forget a few extra dollars, US Airways spokesman Morgan Durrant says flight attendants will likely “err on the side of the customer” and give him or her water. After all, the airline wouldn’t want its customers drinking tap water from the aircraft bathroom. That water is safe to drink, just not very palatable, according to Durrant.
I also heard u have to pay an $5 fee for the toilet!
Is that a shwarma machine in the picture? How much do they carge for that?
i heard there is an extra 5 dollar charge to use the seat belt
Yes, that is a schwarma. It’s a photo from Turkish airlines
it’s one thing to charge for water when you are allowed to bring your own. it’s entirely different when security denies your water and any other liquids!
Can we use EZpass on plane trips for all charges?
You used to have the option to bring your own food and drinks instead of being at the mercy of the airline. Now you don’t even have the option of bringing a simple water bottle aboard. Of course the airlines will charge. This will be their new cash-cow!
I was on a flight where the guy next to me was throwing up, and the stewardess cheerfully asked him, “Barf bag? Only $4.50!” as she held it up.
Flying is actually free. The only things we pay for is to use the bathroom, take off, landing, using a seatbelt, boarding,smiling, using oxygen mask during an emergancy landing, drinking,sitting in a isle seat, city tax, state tax, 9/11 tax, and other surcharges and taxes & eating on the plane. Other than the above the actual ticket for flying is FREE.
Did I leave anything out?
US Air has no customer base because they are a low budget airline which is never close to being on time and are very rude to thier clientle. This will bury them for sure
i am sick of this……. the prices keep going up up up but the owners are getting richer…… the rich have no problems flying……..as for us regualr folks can no longer afford it… my father is buried in Isreal i can not afford to visit his grave…….my sons dream was to make his sons bar mizvah in isreal he has saved and saved for the occasion forget it not at these prices …… the siblings ,, neices, nephews and grandparents can not afford to go so thats out…….. they charge for everything and give nothing…………..the subways keep going up,,,, the gas goes up. electricity goes up,, food goes up…. tuitions go up……. but the salaries for us do not….. people are loosing there jobs …… but the rich get richer……. what is this country coming to………. when more folks can not even make it from pay check to pay check……..more frum kids will go to public schools……. what oh what I have had it ……
This is a sad day for the airline industry. USAir is struggling due to their lousy reputation. At a time when people are looking for every reason to avoid flying, they are just making their decision easier. To their credit though, the only people flying are those that absolutely have too, and for those scenarios, the few dollard won’t make the difference.
As for water, I have read that you can bring an empty water bottle, and fill it after you’ve gone through the security. As for food, please read the TSA website’s listings of what you can and cannot bring aboard the plane. I agree that the airlines have crossed a line; they will learn that people, if they are able, will sooner choose to go by car, train or bus. If you go by car, you can bring whatever you want — bottled water, food, scissors, laptop computers that won’t be subject to searches, etc., etc.
ok everybody stop complaining we all know that nothing comes from nothing and everything that happens is because of me and you and we just have to keep davening, hope and realy want mashaich to come bimiheira.
Let them put in a soda machine. It’s much better than blocking the isle with their cart.