Ridiculous Charges!!!

What is it with Companies and Businesses charging for ridiculous things?

iStock_000082621377_Large

One of the biggest gripes my customers have is having to pay to book their seats on an aircraft when they have already paid for the privilege of sitting in that seat. I remember when booking a seat was free with all Airlines. There are still some Airlines like Emirates for example who do not charge for this service but the majority do.

iStock_000027199805_Large

It think the big turnaround point came  when the low cost airlines where launched. They charged for luggage, for check-in at the airport if you didn’t want to check-in on line, for seats, for meals, for extra leg room, well for everything except the basic seat. Back in 2012 Ryanair were even thinking of introducing standing seats so you would not even have had a seat as such. I thought this had been vetoed but a Chinese low cost carrier Spring Airlines have applied to fit these seats to their aircraft.

Michael O’Leary’s plans were halted by Aviation legislation which state passengers have to wear seatbelts. “ Seat belts don’t matter,” O’Leary said. “You don’t need a seatbelt on the London Underground. You don’t need a seatbelt on trains which are travelling at 120mph and if they crash you’re all dead,” he added.

He added that the argument that seatbelts can stop injuries during turbulence doesn’t apply as Europe doesn’t have areas of excessive turbulence.

“The problem with aviation is that for 50 years it’s been populated by people who think it’s a wondrous sexual experience… when it’s really just a bus with wings.”

Well Michael, that’s one way of looking at it!

Anyway back to charges.

So when low cost was launched and other airlines saw they seemed to be getting away with charging for these things others started to follow suit. First the Charter companies like Thomson and Thomas Cook Airlines then the Big boys like British Airways, united etc. Virgin resisted the urge to charge still offering seats for free until 2015 when they too started to charge for the service. Shame on you Virgin. That was one of your biggest points of difference.

iStock_000079895825_Medium

It got me thinking what else do travellers have to pay for that used to be free and when I started to investigate airports became the biggest culprit of ridiculous charges.

Most of us have to use one if we want to leave the Country and we have to spend 2-3 hours there but are the costs rising to a ridiculous amount?

Don’t get me wrong there are some things you expect to pay for like Parking or the use of an executive lounge but some of these are beyond belief.

TROLLEY CHARGES

As in many supermarkets most Airports have a coin system for the trollies and I have no beef with this as some people are so lazy not returning them to the proper stands when they have finished with them but many Airports have taken this a step further and are now charging you £1 or even £2 to use a trolley and you do not get it back!

iStock_000009411615_Full

DROP AND RUN CHARGES!

Save money on parking and get dropped off at the airport! Even this has a price now it seems. A survey conducted last year found that just six of Britain’s 24 airports allow drivers to drop off and pick up passengers directly in front of the main terminal building free of charge. Most charge at least £1 which some like Luton Airport charges £2.50 for up to 15 minutes outside the main terminal. Drivers who stay beyond 15 minutes must pay £5. So don’t plan a big teary goodbye because if you take more than 30 minutes you must pay £11. Eeek… Best Push Granny and Grandad out of the car without stopping!

GETTING CONNECTED

Then there is the one thing that most people do not want to be without and that is WiFi access. Last year Skyscanner did a Survey and Britain’s airports are lagging behind their European counterparts when it comes to offering free Wi-Fi. Can you believe that none of the UK’s six busiest airports – Heathrow, Gatwick, Manchester, Stansted, Edinburgh and Luton – were found to offer unlimited free internet access. By contrast, almost half (24) of Europe’s 50 busiest airports – including Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Dublin, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Munich, Paris Charles de Gaulle, Prague and Rome – were.

iStock_000055534734_Large

Heathrow does now offer unlimited free access but in Edinburgh you still only get 2 hours, Gatwick you get 90 Minutes, Manchester or Stansted it’s an hour or at Luton it’s just 30 minutes.

Come on UK let’s get with the program!

PLASTIC BAG CHARGES? REALLY?

We’ve probably all done the bag re-organise at some point as the case is overweight so you would think it would be important to the Airport to avoid delays in the check-in queues that this causes and offer somewhere that people can check their case weight before approaching the counter. Most airports do have weighing machines and yes you guessed it! They charge you for it so people don’t use them and hold up the queues. Go figure!

We are all security conscious nowadays and understand the need for liquids to be scrutinised. The little plastic bags are part of the airport routine now but Travellers beware. Most airports would hand these out free of charge but yes you guessed again. The tide is changing and if you are heading to Luton this year please take your own or you will be charged another £1 for the privilege.

iStock_000002960402_Large

FOOD AND DRINK

It goes without saying that food and drink will cost you more in the airport and as you can’t take drinks through security they do kind of have you over a barrel. Even the newsagents charge exorbitant fees but no more so that motorway service stations if you are travelling by car. Expect to pay an average double for your favourite bottle of drink eg a Bottle of Coke in the supermarket is £1 expect to pay £2-£2.50 at the airport.

An American in airport retailer recently hit the news as they were charging $5 approx £3.20 for a small 340ml bottle of water! Madness.

iStock_000013787612_Full

TOILETIES

Some charges can be avoided with careful planning like the mini toiletries. You can buy mini clear bottles in many high street retailers and fill them yourself with the products you need on the aircraft. Remember you can but large bottles in your luggage so only worry about what you need on-board. If you don’t want to mess about you can buy travel size ready filled as well but don’t go to the airport to buy them as prices could be triple the high street costs.

BOARDING PASS

Make sure you have printed your boarding pass before you go to the airport if you are travelling with an airline that requires it as the likes of Ryanair will charge you £15 per person to re-print the bit of paper for you.

ANTI SMOKING

If you are a smoker and want to use the facilities to calm your nerves before you flight beware. Many Airports are now charging you £1 a go to have a cigarette. Belfast Airport introduced this in 2011 and since then many airports have followed suit claiming it contributes to the cost of filtering the air and cleaning the room for other users.

iStock_000076401155_Full

AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT CHARGE! WHAT?

You probably don’t realise it but you are paying this in the cost of your ticket.

Airport development fees” and “passenger service charges” The biggest rip off of all in my opinion.

A Recent newspaper article highlighted.

On top of landing, security and ground handling charges, Norwich Airport – since 2007 – has levied an “airport development fee” of £10 per passenger (paid by the airline, passed on to the passenger). Blackpool, Newquay and Durham Tees Valley all make similar charges.

Heathrow has what it calls a “passenger service charge”. It rose to £24.55 in 2013 so it could – in Heathrow’s words – “attract passengers from other airports”.

Come on why is the consumer paying for this. You make a fortune anyway!

Lastly and this one did give me a giggle.

A TAX TO BREATH!

Yes you did read it right.  This is specific to just one airport as far as I am aware. Travellers using Venezuela’s Maiquetia International Airport, will now have to pay a 127 bolivar (£12) tax upon departure to cover the cost of a newly-installed air purification system.

Wonder what they would do if you held your breath?

iStock_000015962412_Large

What Ridiculous charges have you come across on your travels whether it be in an Airport or not?

I would love to hear from you.

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *


About Me

I have worked in the Travel Industry for 33 years, ever since leaving school. My Dad was in the Navy so I guess I get my wanderlust from him. I was a Manager in a successful Travel Agency for 16 years before joining Cruise.co.uk. I am married and have a son who…

Read more
Thank you for subscribing!