More Airline Fee's

If you feel like the airlines have stuck it to you recently with all the new fee’s and changes get ready for a few more jabs.

Some airlines including US Airways are now charging for drinks and I don’t mean the kind with alcohol. If you want a glass of water or soda you will now have to pay for it. Pretty soon you will have to pay for toilet paper if you want to……well, you know.

I think its time for passengers to fight back and come up with creative ways around some of these ridiculous fee’s. So here are a few suggestions:

Beverages
If you want to have water during your flight bring an empty water bottle with you.
While you can’t bring liquids threw the security check point, you can fill the empty
bottle at a drinking fountain beyond the check point and carry it on the plane with you.
Or you can purchase a bottle of water or soda from a vendor beyond the check point.
Who knows maybe you can still get a cup of ice for free on the plane.

Luggage
Some have suggested mailing your luggage to your destination, I personally would not
be comfortable with this unless I was mailing it to a friend or family members home.
Even if a hotel, resort or post office agreed to hold the luggage for you there are too many risks and chances for your luggage to get lost. Plus you will have to make arrangements to have it shipped back.

My suggestion is to pack less. We as Americans tend to over pack. If you have ever
Observed Europeans traveling they will bring one small bag each. If you have ever
Traveled to Europe you have probably gotten that shocked looked when people see
how much luggage you have. Do we really need a different outfit for every day?
Why not bring a few pieces that you can mix and match. There are DVD’s and books
That show you how to bring a few pieces of matching clothing and how to mix them
Up to get several different outfits.

If you are worried about getting dirty then bring a travel size tablet of laundry soap that
You can dissolve in the bath and hand wash you items. You can also bring a travel
size stain remover that you can use to spot clean your items.

Award Miles
I just got a letter from Alaska airlines with whom I have a miles card. This is what it had to say:

Award Level Changes

The domestic round-trip Coach Saver award that has been available at 20,000 miles for over 13 years is increasing to 25,000 miles whether redeemed online or through our Reservations office.

The current Saver and Peak award levels for Coach and First Class travel on Alaska Airlines/Horizon Air are increasing with the exception of intra-state travel.
The popular 15,000 mile Intra-Alaska Award has been expanded to an Intra-State Award, offering travel wholly within one individual state including AK, CA, ID, MT, OR, or WA. This represents an award level reduction. First Class Intra-State awards will also be available at reduced levels.

New Three-Tier Award Levels
The previous "Saver" award types will be re-named "Super Saver Awards." These will continue to offer excellent redemption values but, as today, with limited availability compared to other awards types.

Partner Award Fee To offset the high costs associated with redeeming miles on partner airlines, we will begin collecting a $25 fee for each award booked on a partner airline. There continues to be no award fee or fuel surcharge fee for award travel on Alaska Airlines or Horizon Air. The fee will apply to all awards booked on or after November 1, 2008.

Your air miles are getting close to being worthless. Have you tired to book an awards
flight lately? Its nearly impossible!

Instead of going insane trying to use these miles why not just cash them out or use them to purchase something other then airline tickets. Many airlines let you trade your miles for dollars. It would be easier to take the cash and put it towards the flight you want rather then take a midnight flight fromLos Angeles to New York by way of China! (with only 3 stops of coarse).

Sometimes you can use miles to purchase travel items such as luggage or other travel
goodies. Call whoever you have your miles with and see what else other then airline
tickets you can use your miles for.

Even though all of these things are small when thousands of people all join to gether they add up to one big voice letting the airlines know we are not going to just lie down and take it.

Kind of reminds you of a that song -"we're not going to take it, no we're not going to take it, we're not going to take it anymore!"