Normally we'd let something as dry as a British budget speech coast under our radar, but this year the pollies said something we didn't like: They're making every flight out of Britain more expensive.

The departure tax that they call "air passenger duty" was already doubled last year, but now it's going up again. Low cost carriers like Ryanair are complaining that the last thing the travel industry needs is even higher charges for cost-sensitive customers.

Rather than applying just two taxes--short and long haul--the British government is now dividing destinations up into four zones depending on distance and applying higher charges for further distances. Australians for one are not happy about being on the D-list, which means an extra £85 ($130) for flights longer than 6,000 miles.

And the worst bit: The UK government is pretending it's all a green tax. Which means when we whine about it, we sound like we don't care about the polar bears. But we do!

Related Stories:
· Green Tax Is the End of Low Cost Flights [UK Times]
· Australia on D-List for New Flight Tax [SMH]
· Britain Travel coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Abraham C] ]]> amandak 2008-12-01T09:15:22-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/15/8464/0906

More carriers are joining the ranks of Air Canada, WestJet and Bangkok Airways, cutting fuel surcharges as the price of oil continues to decline. American, Delta, United and Virgin Atlantic have all trimmed their extra fees in the past few days.

Richard Branson's carrier is lowering the round-trip surcharge by an average of $40 depending on destination, but most tickets will still include a three-figure fee for fuel. A spokesman explains why:

Oil remains our largest cost and now represents about 35 percent of our cost base. Just five years ago it was nearer [to] 10 percent.

American and United both reduced some surcharges on flights to Europe by about 15 percent, but as with Virgin's cuts, the lower fee only applies on certain economy-class tickets.

Delta meanwhile has cut its charge on round trips to Asia by an average of $74 to $305.

Related Stories:
· Virgin Atlantic Cuts Fuel Surcharges [The Telegraph]
· US Airlines Reduce Fuel Fees [Canadian Press]
· Bangkok Airways Cut Fuel Surcharges [Jaunted]

[Photo: striatic]]]> pbb 2008-10-15T08:50:45-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/10/14/152045/46

HotelChatter editor Juliana just bought herself a Virgin America ticket and got an email confirmation back from the carrier with a curious note:

We have new custom-designed Virgin America headsets available for $2 in three hot colors. (We are no longer giving away disposable headsets.)

Get better sound quality and plug into RED where you can watch dozens of movies, or select from on-demand shows like HBO's Entourage. You can also tune in to thousands of MP3s and our music video library.

Honestly we don't have much on a opinion on this because we'd guess about 95 percent of Virgin's target demo already packs a headset--or two--when traveling. And if everyone else is gonna rake in ancillary revenues without passenger revolts, hey, why not?

Related Stories:
· Virgin America Planning Main Cabin Select Service [Jaunted]
· JetBlue To Charge For Headsets [Jaunted]]]> pbb 2008-10-14T15:22:37-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/9/20/133737/683

Oh, airline travel. You used to be so cool. Flights were affordable, on-time, and featured amenities like meals, blankets, and a selection of current magazines and newspapers. Now, despite rising fares, fliers are lucky to get a bag of pretzels to munch on and a SkyMall catalog to read, and when it comes to making connecting flights and getting reunited with luggage, it's a crapshoot. What happened?

A recent AP item reports that as airline satisfaction rates have declined, customers have begun to push back, demanding improved service to justify the wave of extra fees for things that were once included in the ticket price. Airlines are responding with new initiatives to improve punctuality and baggage handling, as well as upgrades for business and first class passengers.]]> Victor Ozols 2008-09-20T13:37:37-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/9/16/123533/000

Is Southwest Airlines flying planes anymore or has everybody working there been transferred to the "No Fees" advertising department?

Here's the latest in-airport ad Southwest is bragging about. Kinda funny, yes, but rue the day that the carrier starts charging extra for anything. We're envisioning a passenger backlash fee!

Related Stories:
· Southwest Is Apparently Your No Fee Savior [Jaunted]
· Southwest Airlines coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: Southwest Airlines]]]> pbb 2008-09-16T12:36:01-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/9/8/105217/3042

If there was any doubt Southwest was your savior when it comes to airline fees, the carrier has started using Handel's Hallelujah chorus in its "No Hidden Fees" ad campaign. (You can even download the track as a ringtone!)

Along with a couple TV ads and a chart showing all the things Southwest gives out for free, there's also a word search game on the airline's "No Hidden Fees" microsite, featuring terms like "One checked bag" and "Pillow."

The only problem with all this is that now Southwest will never be able to charge a fee for anything--lest the airline look like a pharisee!

Related Stories:
· Southwest Airlines: No Hidden Fees [Official Microsite]
· Airline Fees coverage [Jaunted]
· Southwest Airlines coverage [Jaunted]]]> pbb 2008-09-08T16:30:24-05:00 http://www.jaunted.com/story/2008/9/4/82548/28785

Struggling carrier Midwest Airlines has sealed a deal for $60 million in new financing, and has inked another bargain to add 12 regional jets to its fleet, while trimming its 717 holdings. The carrier has already secured $40 million of the promised money--needed for paying off debts to airports, among other things--and it also got a $15 million loan from Republic Airways, the company Midwest has hired to operate those dozen regional jets.

The outsourcing of the Midwest Connect service starts on October 1, which means another couple hundred employees will be furloughed--on top of the 1,200 jobs already cut this summer. The airline says that's to train its people on the new Embraer 170s that Republic flies; the Midwest pilots' union has its doubts:

Management [has] restated its continued intent to wring drastic, draconian concessions from our pilots, holding our very jobs hostage as part of its deal with Republic.

But the airline simply doesn't need as many pilots working because it's also renegotiated a lease with Boeing. Midwest will return 16 of its 25 717s to their manufacturer. That means just nine planes will be kitted out with the new seats announced in August.

Oh, and one last thing: Midwest will start charging $15 for your first checked bag on flights October 21 and later.

Related Stories:
· Midwest Airlines Announces Progress on Restructuring Plan [Official Site]
· Midwest Pilots Express Outrage at Airline's Deal [PRNewswire]
· Midwest Makes More Cuts [WTMJ]
· Midwest Death Watch coverage [Jaunted]

[Photo: phantom kitty]]]> pbb 2008-09-04T08:30:22-05:00 Search Jaunted string http://www.jaunted.com/search/