Us Airways Implements Service Fees

[ISP]

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 7, 2004 -- US Airways has introduced a service fee for customers who desire personalized reservations ticketing assistance. The fee applies for tickets for domestic U.S. travel purchased by calling US Airways’ toll-free reservations or visiting US Airways’ airport ticket counters, and is effective Sept. 9, 2004.

See link:

http://www.usairways.com/about/press/nw_04_0907.htm

 

[oldiebutgoody]

Makes selling or buying tickets on the US Titannic Airways even less appealing.

 

[Dizel8]

Stick a fork in it!

Monkey see, Monkey do, that appears to be management at U.

 

[Justme]

....tickets purchased at airport ticket counters will incur a $10 fee.

These nominal fees...

hmmm.....

1. $10, at least in my book, does not qualify as nominal

2. I have to pay extra to purchase a TICKET at a TICKET COUNTER?

3. All hope is lost with these idjuts

4. How does an idjut become an executive??????

And just out of curiosity....how much does it cost to call and talk on the phone for 30 minutes before I decide that I don't really see anything I like? Do I have to give you my cc number to talk and automatically incur a $5 charge...no wait! How about 1-900-FLY-UAIR, all calls are FREE, NO CHARGE.....however, a nominal fee of $5.00 is applied to your telephone bill to offset the miscellaneous costs of running a reservation center.

jm

 

[USFlyer]

Many travel agencies charge around $25-$30 per ticket, so $10 is nominal *relatively* speaking.

 

[Justme]

Well USFlyer, you are right. They do, don't they? But they are a third party that is able to charge those amounts in return for (at least the hope of) customers who are willing to pay the fee in return for some level of service that would otherwise not be available. And I do believe (correct me if I am wrong) that this used to not be the case until there was something done by the airlines that reduced the commission on tickets.

The problem I have is that UAIR is not third party for UAIR tickets. The same thing was (is still?) tried by banks some years back. ATM? No fee. Want to talk to a real teller? Do you have the gold, silver, or bronze checking account? Bronze, well that will cost you $2.50. We can't have our tellers dispensing service to our low end customers without a fee now can we.

So bottom line....if I go to an ATM that is not my bank's ATM and they want to charge me $10.00 to use it, that's ok. If I need cash bad enough I'll gladly pay whatever they want. But if my own bank charges me for a teller or an ATM on their property I'll find another bank. I find it ludicrous that U is going to charge me $10 to purchase a ticket at their airport ticket counter when the guy next to me has purchased his online but may take 10 times longer with the customer service rep because of baggage issues.

does that make sense?

jm

 

[Flying Titan]

One of the things that really bothers me about this I'm one of the (few, I guess) people who still frequently purchases tickets using a check. I know this sounds strange, but - for me - it means easier accounting for my small business and I've always thought I was doing U a favor, by not handing over five-percent of the fare they receive to a credit card company. In reality, I would imagine U nets more from me than just about anyone who buys a ticket on the website. Still, it would appear that I'm about to get hit with a penalty for this. Go figure.

Also, it's all in the packaging. I'm certain that I would not be nearly as bothered by this move if they had said they would implement a five-dollar discount for anyone who purchases tickets on the website (like the LCCs do). Instead, they make it clear that they want to punish any of their customers who still want to deal with a real human being.

 

[EyeInTheSky]

After my recent fiasco with booking on USAirways.com I cannot see the logic in this. It's one thing if US Airways had a state of the art website; they do not. Quite frankly, I think this is a real bad idea until they update the technology backbone of their Internet capabilities. I really feel for the rez agents.

 

[USFlyer]

First, banks do still charge fees depending on customer levels. Not sure where you're banking. Second, on the flip side, usairways.com is an abysmal web site. NW's site, on the other hand, is fantastic. So for NW to do this somewhat made sense, but US really should only be doing this if the web site actually worked in any way, shape or form. The only thing usairways.com is good for is seeing what fares are available in each market and for checking DM account balances. Anything else requires calling or using some external source if you desire reliability and ease of use.

Also, a check?! I don't even own a check book! Whenever I need a check, I simply use BillPay from Bank of America and have the check sent to me.

 

[Flying Titan]

Also, a check?! I don't even own a check book! Whenever I need a check, I simply use BillPay from Bank of America and have the check sent to me.

[post="176788"][/post]​

[/quote]



Call me old fashioned, but they still work just fine for me. Still, it is pretty funny to walk up to an airline counter and tell a new agent that you want to pay by check -- completely freaks some folks out.

 

[ClueByFour]

Many travel agencies charge around $25-$30 per ticket, so $10 is nominal *relatively* speaking.

[post="176773"][/post]​

The value add from my travel agent is about a light year beyond general US reservations.

The CP desk is a different story, but joe travler does not get access to the CP desk.

 

[oldiebutgoody]

BINGO!
The brilliant managers in Crystal City do it again! :blink:

 

[whlinder]

I keep waiting for all these plans of transformations and great ideas from roachfest to be implemented, but once again, just like GoPhers, all we get is US matching other airlines. NW started this and AA followed. Wow, talk about some original thinking by US.... copying them! Instead of perhaps reducing the price for fares booked online. AS, B6, DH all give $5-10 discounts for tickets booked on their websites... If US is supposedly going to transform itself into a low-fare carrier, this is not the route to be taking. Adding fees depending on where the ticket is purchased does not simplify anything.

---

I wonder if this will apply to non-rev ticketing too?

 

[hadEnuff]

Like it or not this is the future of the Industry. Passengers are getting the cheaper fares they want BUT they will not get those fares with the same level of service they have ben experiencing in the past. The airport experience will be similiar to buying gas. Walk up put your card in and get gas or walk up put your card in and get your tickets. In fact, it would not surprise me that within the next 12 months if you can self check in and voluntary elect not to do so you would have to pay to check in with a person. The changing world of automation because the more automation the less human beings and less labor cost for the Industry. It really doesn't matter whether you like it or not!!!

 

[Air conditioned]

I wonder if this will apply to non-rev ticketing too?

[post="176815"][/post]​

Please don't give them any ideas.