Flying

[Uncle Liam]

Why is flying such a disgrace these days?

At the moment its costing me £8 to book a flight using my debit card.

take ONE bag on the plane. Thats £25 for the bag and £14 for airport check in.

In addition to the £60+ taxes and charges.

For this pleasure, the flight will inevitably be delayed, having paid for my bags it will take an age for me to actually get them after being treated like a piece of shit by jobswroth airport security.

HATE HATE HATE flying. Yet its a choice between this and a £24 hour boat/coach/train journey. Epic epic fail.

[Uncle Liam]

Just to add something to this, if banks arent allowed to charge you for spending your own money, why are airlines allowed to do it?

[oafc0000]

Which airline? Try a different one? I refuse to fly with Ryan air for example...

[Uncle Liam]

BMI Baby.

I too refuse to fly with Ryan Air but its their influence which does this. I tried British Airways but they didnt have flights on the days I needed.

[ste4_20]

http://www.skyscanner.net/

Was posted on here a while back and got me return flights to JFK with a good airline and good agent for £280.

Edited July 31, 2010 by ste4_20

[oafc0000]

BMI Baby.

I too refuse to fly with Ryan Air but its their influence which does this. I tried British Airways but they didnt have flights on the days I needed.

Edited July 31, 2010 by oafc0000

[oafc0000]

Just to add something to this, if banks arent allowed to charge you for spending your own money, why are airlines allowed to do it?

Edited July 31, 2010 by oafc0000

[Uncle Liam]

http://www.skyscanner.net/

Was posted on here a while back and got me return flights to JFK with a good airline and good agent for £280.

[Uncle Liam]

And yes, the credit card option was more expensive.

[oafc0000]

It was me who posted it!

Taxes- fine.

Baggage. Excessive but I kind of understand the concept.

Being charged to spend your own money (and bear in mind, you get charged whatever you use) must be shady legal territory.

[Uncle Liam]

Not convinced myself. Banking is a service and the banks were told to cut back on their charges for people taking their own money out of their banks. Why should airlines be allowed to charge for people spending their money? Especially when there is no other option? (apart from not flying at all, which isnt really an option in this case)

[rabid]

It was me who posted it!

Taxes- fine.

Baggage. Excessive but I kind of understand the concept.

Being charged to spend your own money (and bear in mind, you get charged whatever you use) must be shady legal territory.

[Uncle Liam]

The thing is, I dont recall being charged with my maestro last time I booked flights. Which was February I think. But since Natwest switched my DEbit card to Visa from Maestro I ge the privilege of being charged £8 to use it. f**kers.

[oafc0000]

Not convinced myself. Banking is a service and the banks were told to cut back on their charges for people taking their own money out of their banks. Why should airlines be allowed to charge for people spending their money? Especially when there is no other option? (apart from not flying at all, which isnt really an option in this case)

Edited July 31, 2010 by oafc0000

[rabid]

The thing is, I dont recall being charged with my maestro last time I booked flights. Which was February I think. But since Natwest switched my DEbit card to Visa from Maestro I ge the privilege of being charged £8 to use it. f**kers.

[philipsteak]

From the business side of things, credit card charges are annoying, but its just part of doing business. You suck it up and factor it into your prices. My heart does sink a little though when someone pulls out AMEX or Diners. Why they cost so much more I just don't understand. I know the law here (in New Zealand) was recently clarified with regard credit card charges, in that you are now allowed to add a fee on top (either percentage or fixed) to cover them but no one except travel agents and cheap airlines does it. In most countries (i think) its against the merchant agreement to charge a fee but the travel industry seems to get away with it. I think one of the fuel companies here (BP, always with the great PR) tried it for a little while but soon backed down. Even if you reduce your overall cost (which they didn't) to make up the difference, people wont see it that way, all they'll see is the extra charge.

8 quid is seriously taking the piss though. Think the worst I've paid here is about $5 which is about 2.60.

[ste4_20]

It was me who posted it!

[PeterD]

Companies have to provide one method of payment that doesnt incur a cost on top so invariably its either Mestro or Electron, as these are the least popular. Its underhand but within the rules.

[lolbeck]

I'm going on holiday in a few days. £70 taxes and charges and whatnot, over £20 for each bag for hold luggage, and £20 each if we wanted in-flight meals on a 6 hour plane journey. Bloody ridiculous.

[sifi]

The alternative is they hide it in the normal price and remove the option of you paying via a cheaper method...

In the end all costs are passed on one way or another...

Edited August 2, 2010 by sifimaster