I have not been much of a fan of where airline comfort has been going.    There have been several major trends in airline seating over the last 20 years, and almost none of them have been good for the typical traveler who sits in coach.   Airlines introduced slimline seats, which really just allowed them to pack more people into the plane.   They also vastly upgraded their first and business class sections, which didn’t do anything for coach travelers.   Finally, they added seatback entertainment systems.   While some may enjoy those, I generally prefer a good book to hours of mind numbing television and low definition movies.   Worse, they have been placing large electronic boxes underneath the seats, further restricting legroom.    The first time I encountered one of these boxes I was fuming.  It was as if the airline decided to stow their luggage where my feet should go.

Finally, Some Good News

Over at the industry publication Aviation Week and Space Technology, there is a great article about Boeing’s new “Sky Interior”.     While it was to have been rolled out on new 787 model, its numerous delays meant that it is first being seen on Boeing’s oldest and most popular design in production, the 737.  What that means is that over the next decade or two, airlines will be replacing their 737s with versions that come standard with this new interior.

Why Sky Is Awesome

First, they moved the seat back pocket up above the tray table, giving passengers another 2 inches of legroom.   2 inches doesn’t sound like a lot, but that could be a 20% increase on some airlines.     Next, they moved the entertainment electronics box out from under the seat where it never should have been in the first place.   Furthermore, they also moved the inflatable life jackets to an overhead compartment, giving passengers unprecedented space.   Finally, they raised the height of the overhead bins so that people don’t have to crouch as much to access the window seat.  This is part of a general re-modeling of the interior that included LED lighting.

Who Has Sky?

Right now there are several discount carriers in Europe and the Middle East that are taking delivery of new 737s with the Sky Interior package.   These include FlyDubai, Norwegian Air Shuttle, TUIfly, JetAirFly.   China Eastern is also slated to receive aircraft with the new interior.    While there are no US based airlines that have announced deliveries with the new interior, don’t be concerned.   It is only a matter of time until airlines have to order new aircraft, and I am sure one of them will want bragging rights on being the first American carrier with this enhancement.   Update: It appear that Southwest airlines will have the new Sky Interior on it’s larger Boeing 737-800s that it just announced orders for.

What Is The Downside?

Every time a larger aircraft is introduced, or a more narrow seat, airlines initially offer more comfort.    For example, Boeing famously offered a piano bar in the original 747.  That didn’t last long.   Inevitably, airlines just cram more seats into their aircraft to maximize revenue.   While it is possible that the relocation of the seat back pocket might encourage some airlines to add another row or two of seats, the rest of the upgrades will not be conducive to increasing seat counts.    Simply put, they have no choice but to enhance passenger comfort if they go with this new interior.

The biggest downside will be timing.    Airlines typically operate aircraft for about 15-20 years before replacing them, although some airlines will run their aircraft up to thirty years or more.    The new interior will be a feature on the 737, and will be standard on the new next generation 747 and 787 models.   It is even possible that some airlines will refurbish existing aircraft, retrofitting key features of the new design.    Sadly, I think it will be several years before Americans will have the opportunity to enjoy this new configuration.

After decades of passenger squeezing, revenue enhancing changes, at least we are finally moving in the right direction.

That doesn’t sound like such a good question, but that is what Brett Snyder at the Cranky Flier would have you believe in his post “Why You Should Love Airline Fees”. His argument rests on the idea that fuel costs have created such a supply shock to the airlines, that they are forced to un-bundle services to sell of individually as ancillary fees.  After attempting following his admittedly strained analogy regarding a hypothetical television producer, I can only conclude that he feels that it is better to have these fees than to see airlines reduce flights and go out of business.

Who Is “You”?

I am a leisure traveler and a consumer advocate, not an airline industry insider like Brett, so my position is quite different.   Yes, I am left scratching my head as to why he feels that I should “love airline fees.”   It is only when I read the last few words of his post that his perspective became clear.  He concludes that “the a la carte pricing method is a good thing for this industry.”    I will grant him that it is an undeniable fact that this new pricing model has resulted in a more profitable industry.      Therefore, if the “You” in “Why You Should Love Airline Fees” refers to an industry CEO or stockholder, I have to agree with his conclusion.   That said, I always felt like his moniker, “The Cranky Flier” referred to the plight airline passengers, not their stockholders or executives.  Perhaps he’s changed his focus as he has gained recognition within the industry.

It’s About Price Transparency

To a consumer, there is nothing better than price transparency; the idea that you can quickly know what a transaction will cost you so that you can more easily choose the best product or service.   For example, when you shop at E-Bay or Amazon, you can sort the prices by “Cost + Taxes and Shipping”, rather than having to perform a myriad of calculations yourself.    The airlines have taken a relatively transparent market for airfares and made them hugely complicated.    If I want to fly a family of four to Colorado for a ski trip, I used to just find the lowest airfare.   Now, I have to estimate how much luggage my family will need, and reconcile it with the various airline’s policies for checked luggage; not a fun task.

A False Choice

Snyder’s insistence that airlines would have to cut routes and raise fares if they did not increase fees does ring a bit hollow.    For example, airlines still do not charge for checked baggage on international flights, yet they have been growing that sector of the market.    Besides if an airline did cut routes or raise prices, that would just entice new competition to fill the void.

Perception Of Value

As a pilot, I could argue the fuel costs incurred by the marginal increase in payload are an order of magnitude less than what airlines are charging for checked bags, but I don’t have to.     Consumers are not stupid, they know that it doesn’t actually cost an airline $50 to check a bag, or a $150 to use their web site to make a change to a booking.    Often, they find it more expensive to check two bags on Delta than their entire ticket costs on Southwest.    This is great for Delta, but bad for consumers.   Ultimately, people are viewing airlines very negatively when they are charged outrageous fees that bear little or no correlation to the service provided. It cannot be good for the industry when so many airlines join the ranks of the cable company or Ticketmaster as the worst companies in America.

Fragmentation Of The Market

Let’s face it, not everyone hates fees.   I used to travel for business every week.  Back then, I couldn’t care less what the ticket cost, so long as my boss didn’t care.   In fact, when I put the airfare and fees on my mileage earning credit card, I was glad to pay more.   If I were a business traveler today, it wouldn’t bother me at all to pay luggage fees, priority boarding fees, or change fees.   Just as long as I was reimbursed by my company, these fees would be just another line item on my expense report like lunch or a taxi ride.   While business travelers represent a sizable proportion of travelers, they represent an even greater percentage of airline revenue than their actual numbers.    The airlines know this, and it seems like United and others are just hoping to cater to this niche of business travelers, leaving the leisure travelers to fly Southwest.   United knows that status holding business travelers rarely check bags, and usually have these fees waived when they do.   The a la carte model may just end up further bifurcating the market between leisure airlines like Southwest and Jetblue, and business oriented airlines like Delta and United.

In Conclusion

Snyder makes very good points as usual, however I am just not sure of his perspective anymore.  The industry is also making profits while earning a black eye with the public.     Fees may work for most airline’s bottom line, and they may even work for some of their business customers, but when you are paying for your ticket from your own savings, I can’t see any reason to love these fees.

One of the drawbacks of family travel is that you have to book several seats at once.     What you will often find is that the lowest fare is not available for as many seats as you would like.    These days, many airline and travel sites will even claim that you should hurry and make your purchase as “there are only 2 seats left at this price!”     This seems ripe for a lawsuit as prices and availability fluctuate all of the time.

Families Making Multiple Bookings Get Screwed

Nevertheless, the number of seats available at the lowest price might be lower than the number of travelers in your party.   When that is the case, the airline will actually quote the higher fare for every member of your group.    For example, if there are three people in your group, and there are only two seats available at $500, a search for three seats might return a rate of the next higher fare, say $600, for all three seats.   The unsuspecting travelers have just overpaid by $200.

How To Ensure You Get The Best Available Fares

When booking more than one ticket, try searching for an individual fare before making the final booking.   If the fare for a single traveler is lower than the fare for multiple travelers, you should keep increasing the number of travelers until you find out how many seats are being offered at  the lowest price.    You can book those seats in a separate transaction from the higher fare seats, saving the fare difference.

Some Potential Downsides To Multiple Purchases

There is a very small possibility that having a group traveling on multiple tickets could cause a problem.   For example, if a flight is canceled, the airline might try to split up the group when rebooking.    To avoid this, call the airline after booking and ask to have your PNR’s linked.    The PNR is the passenger name record.   Basically, it tells the database that these people are traveling together.    Also, it would be a good idea to include any minor’s on the same ticket as an adult, just to avoid even the slightest chance of a problem.

This Trick Works With Award Bookings To

With award inventory being incredibly scarce, and most airlines instituting multiple award tiers, it is very easy to get a quote for an astronomical amount of miles when trying to book multiple award tickets together.    Just like when you pay for a ticket, you should search on the award individually to see if you get a lower rate in miles.

In Conclusion

The airlines have an infinite number of tricks to separate you from your dollars and miles more efficiently.    Once you understand how they price multiple bookings, you can use their tricks against them to ensure that you pay the lowest price.