Thursday, September 25, 2008

It gets my goat up

Those of you who read this blog regularly will know that I am not given to moaning. I might make the odd tongue-in-cheek remark about noisy Spaniards or the weather. Those are observations rather than complaints.

One thing that does annoy me though, is the whole issue of baggage on the so called budget airlines. It is bad enough that you have to pay airport taxes and fuel surcharges on top of the advertised fare. Quite why those can't be built in to an online booking service is beyond me. Oh yes, and an extra 5€ to pay by credit card. How else do they expect you to pay online? As far as I know, nobody has discovered a way to squeeze bank notes down a telephone line yet.

Having paid for all the surcharges, you are then asked if you want to take hold luggage. How many people are able to pack all they need for a trip in one piece of cabin luggage being careful not to include any liquids, creams or anything that might vaguely be described as sharp? Not many. It's like having to pay for wheel balancing as an extra when you buy a new tyre or having to pay for carrier bags at the supermarket. Optional extras only if you redefine the word option.

So, most passengers end up taking hold luggage; for which all the airlines will charge. The 10.50€ that Jet2.com ask for isn't some token sum that you can dismiss, especially if there are two of you travelling. Even worse, if you forget to book your luggage online, they will charge you 18.50€ at the check in desk . The small case, that you thought could be described as cabin luggage, could end up costing 18.50€ to travel with you.

To add insult to injury, not only do they charge you for your case, these airlines also restrict you to a measly weight limit (currently 17kgs with Jet2.com). That might be fine in summer but in winter, when you need sweaters trousers, jackets etc it's far from adequate. Of course you can take extra but then they will ask 9€ per kilogramme for the privilege.

The final straw comes when they ask, "Do you want to pre-book your seat and would you like extra legroom?" Not bloody likely! The blood sucking leaches have already charged me as much as the flight in surcharges. Not a penny more - no way - I'll stand if necessary.

As all of you who have flown recently will testify, the supposedly budget airline flight becomes a darn sight more expensive by the time you get to the payment page. It's enough to turn you to drink (well more drink in my case).

Now I've got that off my chest, I feel a lot better. I can descend from my soapbox and return to normal. That might take me until tomorrow when I hope to be my usual cheerful self again.

1 comment:

Pete said...

It is miserly Keith, but they do have a defensible argument. Going budget means, as you say, that every conceivable thing they can charge you extra for they will. Luggage is heavy, and weight means fuel. Weight limits are strict. If you want to take hold baggage it needs to be loaded and unloaded. This needs baggage handlers. So if you want to take a bag you pay for it. Is it right that on a regular commercial service where I'm taking only a briefcase I subsidise the person who wants to take 35kg of luggage because they simply can't leave their straighteners at home?

If you think that credit card payment, generous cabin allowances, a pre-allocated seat, decent legroom, something to eat and a 20kg luggage allowance are essentials for your flight, then you can take a scheduled flag carrier. At least the budget lines do, in theory, give you the opportunity to get a cheap price if you are prepared to make sacrifices. If you're not, then you pay for it. In many ways it's fairer, though it is perhaps more representative of the American ideology than the British. You pay for what you use.

To be honest, much as I wince at the cost, I think a little part of me is glad that my most regular flight destination, Finland, isn't available on a budget route. I know I'll get there safely, in comfort, and on time.