List of outrageous airline fees continues to grow

First bag surcharge hands-down! It's such a joke and blatant cash-grab! Combine this with the fact that virtually nothing can be brought on carry-on anymore, airlines are getting an extra $20-$25 per passenger minimum for checked baggage.

...though I suppose that for $25 I could just buy things like a razor, nairclippers and hairgel at my destination and just stuff my clothes into a carry-on...

How about the 20 dollars i was told i will be charged if i book my seat ahead of time? YES,,,anderson is right, very soon they will charged the passengers even for a glass of
water....shame on them......cora

I bought a round trip on Ryanair in March for May travel. Cheap enough. $30 Cdn. each way. BUT my 2 bags at MAX 15 KGS EACH were an additional $170. When I got sick and had to cancel, I expected to loose my $60. roundtrip fare...but no no, I also lost my prepaid luggage charges of $170. REMEMBER NEVER FLY RYAN AIR OR ANY AIRLINE THAT CHARGES YOU FOR BAGS IN ADVANCE AND DOES NOT REFUND THEM IF YOU GET SICK. I am bloody tired of getting less and less from these airlines. And forget programs like AEROPLAN. It is now the worst program in Canada. Need to book, but can't on line because of the useless website, IF YOU CAN GET A SEAT. THE BIG IF, WITH AEROPLAN. Unless you plan one year in advance, you can never get the seat you want. If you cant book online and need to call an agent you will pay $30. plus HST, and you'll be lucky to find an agent that actually knows what the world looks like and how to get you from A to B. Most AEROPLAN agents are so untrained and so young, they would have a hard time booking THEMSELVES from Vancouver to Toronto, NEVER MIND my trip all over Europe. They were useless! AND if you need to cancel you AEROPLAN reservation within 22 days of travel, guess what? A points recredit fee of $180. plus HST. Are you going to continue to support offensive companies like this? I am not. I now carry the ROYAL BANK AVION VISA card and can travel on any airline when i want to travel.

This kind of crap is happening all over the business world and will continue to spread and get worse. The problem is the CEO mentality that profits must increase every year. It's not enough to make 1 billion this year. Next year, they must make 2 and the next year, 3, etc.

Take Fedex... at least here in Canada anyway. They've probably exhausted all methods to cut costs and increase revenues, so they tack a $6 "pickup fee" on whatever is delivered through their services. Greed.... ya just gotta love it :(

I tried to follow the link to "Airline Fees: the Ultimate Guide" and was sent to BookingBuddy instead.

Link is correct.

I ALSO TRIE TO GET TO AIRLINE FEES: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE, WAS SENT TO BOOKINGBUDDY

I guess I am one of the few people that appreciate the smaller things. I travel frequently and dont have any issues with fees. Once I was charged for over weight on my luggage and thought this fee was outrageous. The Areoplan comment was totally bashing and one sided. I have booked online with my areoplan, two weeks in advance and never had any problems. But of course everthing doesnt work for everyone!
Yes the same happened to me, clicked on a link and got some advert, thats not good!

perhaps clients do not want to pay a fee to a travel agent, but there are some advantages .
when airlines go under sorry out of luck booking on computers, as agencies belong to insurance funds
their clients are covered for refunds. Banks are now saying go to the insurance funds to get your money back AX is one.
Do some research and many that book on computers when they get to destinations hotels overbooked or no reservation. Eveyone feels they are getting the best deals on computers little do they know, agencies many times have the better rates because of the volume of business they do with companies.
Good luck if something goes wrong at least through an agency something can be done only because the companies do not want to loose the business, with the actual client they do not care, as they figure probably will not see that person again.
If you as a client want to spend alot of time researching for a holiday many things you are not aware of when booking on computers, hotel could be under renovation you are not going to be told that. Agency has the resources on their travel system to inform of these things.
cheap is not always good...you get what you pay for..
for those that are out money remember there is always cancellation insurance which would be offered through a agency due to sickness, injury,etc.but if you are not aware of that I guess you are out of luck booking on the computer, don't blame Ryanair. Agents are there to inform and help so clients are not out their money. Seems the ones that complain are the ones looking after their own travel.

just came b ack from 4 weeks in scotland fine the air lines make the money filling the the belly of the plane with frieght so i have to survive on 2okg of clothes and if you book one way cost twice as much to come back so usual rip of the food often looks like poo good luck no deals anymore.

These airline fees are nothing but cash grabs and a way to help them subsidize there losses in fewer customers flying....due to crazy high prices from fuel rises, etc.

Because of the high prices, I started taking a very close look at cost to fly and tend not to run out, get a tic and think nothing of it. Now, with these crazy and costly fees, I am doing just the same, if not being more critical, since the added fees can easily cost more than before most of them existed.

In the end, the greedy ones putting the profits in their pockets will still be dealing with my more careful travel plans, regardless of whether it's due to high prices or the crazy # of high fees.

What I will thank the airlines for is forcing me to take a much closer look at their costs to fly and enabling me to spend my hard earned money in other ways......

Most airlines are now charging outrageous fees for the transportation of "bike boxes". Important to cyclists, triathletes and others these slightly over size durable containers usually weigh LESS than the average checked bag. Fees, which range up to $350, one way, often exceed the ticket price.

Skis, golf clubs, scuba gear and other irregular sized sports equipment get a much cheaper ride. Curiously, the bike boxes sometimes end up being unloaded unto the regular carousel and recieve no special handling.

Bottom line, airline ticket prices are set too low for airlines to make a profit. So, they basically have to scam their profits out of all the special fees. It's contributed to the growing frustration of air travel. The experience becomes more annoying every year.

I booked a flight through Air Canada that I had to cancel, with the promise from the airline I could use the $540 flight credit anytime in the next year.

When I went to use the credit on a short flight from Calgary to Vancouver exactly one year later (this is less than half the distance of the orginal flight to Halifax) the 'surcharges to use the credit' added up over FOUR HUNDRED DOLLARS. When I challenged the online agent, all he did was say, 'Thats what it costs.' In other words, pay up or go away. I went away.

Needless to say, I paid almost half that using Westjet...and informed Air Canada that it would be a cold day in hell before they saw another penny from me.

I have no problem with any airline fees. It's not necessary for me to fly anywhere. However should I wish to do so, and I do frequently, I simply pay whatever fees are requested without complaint. It's not like you didn't know they existed before you arrived at the airport.

I just returned from Calgary to Toronto at the end of July on Aeroplan points and was able to change my flight less than 48hrs before my return flight departure. The agent gave me a choice of a few flights with available seats and some tips on how to find those seats. I've never had a problem with an Aeroplan agent, I've found them to be helpful and friendly, just like me.

In February I flew to Heathrow with Air Canada, and took only carry-on luggage. Air Canada provides a lot of information about baggage on there website. One commenter stated they couldn't bring hair gel on board, I disagree. You can, so long as the container is less that 100ml. Visit your local pharmacy and pick up the travel or promo sizes.

In many instances, this is your vacation. Yes, it's expensive to fly, but you knew that already. Don't let it spoil your holiday.

It's not the fees the airline charges that are out of control, after all fuel is expensive. The more you want to take on your trip the more you should pay, your helping to use more fuel. The TAXES are whats out of contriol HST, NAV CANADA FEE, SECURITY FEE, AIRPORT IMPROVEMENT FEE. These fees are usually equal to the actual cost of the ticket, but the airlines get the blame. Talk too your mp's it is the most over taxed industry in Canada.

So far this year I have paid over $1,100. in Ticket Change Fees, Cancellation/Rebooking Fees, Aeroplan Miles Reinstatement Fees and Seat Selection Fees. This is for the four return trips I have already taken with Air Canada as well as one Aeroplan Travel Reward for Christmas 2010, not yet taken. I can't even begin to add up the other miscellaneous fees such as NAV Canada, Airport Improvement, Surcharges, Taxes and the like. I suppose it is my own fault that I selected the cheapest fare each time and therefore had to pay change fees, etc. I took a gamble and I lost. Other times I have been more lucky. I will do everything I can to avoid paying baggage charges. The air travel industry as a whole (airlines, airports, navigation, government, etc.) is contributing to the overall cost of air travel and with the frustrations of having to endure upwards to two hours for check-in and security formalities for a short flight, then wait another 30 minutes to 1 hour to deplane at the other end, wait for luggage, wait for transportation or pay for parking, the frustration levels have risen to the point where it is becoming more regular to hear about cases of air rage from passengers sick and tired of being treated like cattle. Regard Aeroplan bookings, I certainly have to book about 360 days in advance for travel during busy periods such as Christmas, holidays and the summer periods. Who knows when they can actually take their vacation, or the exact dates of travelling home for Christmas? Oh well, book it and worry about paying the change fees later. This problem is especially acute on routes where there are smaller aircraft travelling less frequently and/or into smaller cities. There are simply very few options. I had to use 80,000 Aeroplan miles just to get my daughter and me home for Christmas, and even then we still could not travel on the same flights because there was only 1 seat available in Business Class and no seats available in Economy Class. WestJet also have change fees, seat selection fees, etc. but they are a bit lower than Air Canada. And it is not just the airlines that are gouging us -- the same thing is happening on utility bills (one month I used $6.00 worth of natural gas and with fees the bill was over $50.00), cell phone bills, cable tv bills, etc. We are being fee'd to death and the government won't do anything about it because those bureaucrats travel on the dime of the long suffering tax payer in this country and then retire with bloated pensions whereby they can afford to pay for all of this crap.

i was charged a total of close to $200 for checking in for 2 "economy plus" seats and 2 luggage on line!!
i will never fly united airlines again.

They charged me $25 for toasted bread!!!!! I love toast

How can they charge me for an over weight bag when the guy behind me in line weighs 300lbs!

The solution is simple:
DON'T FLY unless there is no choice.
As long as we keep paying, they will keep charging.

Vacation close to home.
If you need to travel over long distances, check other mores of transportation, like driving, trains, and buses.

Very few people NEED to fly, for most (business and personal) it's a luxury. And as jets produce an extraordinary amount of pollution, I hope the prices keep increasing until people use some (I guess not so) common sense and stop all the frivolous travel.

You only used to have to pay for all luggage when booking thru air canada if you travelled part of the trip with United. I thought you could put one suitcase through and that is fine it is all you should have for a holiday. I have seen some people try and take everything on board so they don't have to pay for luggage and they take up all the overhead space and sometimes the stewardess has to take their luggage to the front so I am glad now they have restrictions for what you take on board as it should be small and not a huge suitcase. Wet jet has no meals you can buy and no free pop drinks and no movies to watch so consider the length of our travel when flying. You can book your seats on line without paying 24 hours before you leave. The complaint I have is when they lose your luggage and you are given a number to call and get someone in India who does not know where Saskatchewan is or has never heard of it, air canada lost our luggage twice on a trip to las Vegas.

Booking - if your booking through the internet in stead of an agent there is no charge or go to one of many expedia, travelocity, etc and book there, you can then choose to fly united or air canada as they offer choices.

Here's an example my sister was travelling from England to Goose Bay, Labrador Via a stop over in St John's, Newfoundland to change planes. Something unexpected happened and she had to change her ticket to stay in St John's, Newfoundland and was charged an additional $400.00 dollars to remove a leg off the original ticket. AIR CANADA is doing nothing more than ripping people off whenever they get a chance.

As usual Canadians are being ripped off for the same goods and services that are much less expensive in the US. The greed of government (taxes & fees) has driven these prices even higher and the government bureaucrats are acting like the CEO's of companies listed on stock markets. Even dysfunctional governments are cashing in on the private sector by starting up online gambling (Ontario) when they cannot even run a province without running into huge deficits. Airlines are now the most despised services there are and there are not many good things to say about any Canadian sleeze airline. Trains or buses are a much nicer mode of transportation as the quality of both has improved greatly and it is much more of a social event than the cattle call of airlines or the humiliation of being interrogated by airport security.

Yes the dreaded fees, Remeber when booking on line YOU ARE the TRAVEL AGT, dont just click I ACCEPT the TERMS/CONDITIONS whithout reading them, it is your fault if you do!!!!! DEAL directly with the Airline/Hotel etc or a Travel AGT. At least the conditions are spelled out and they are more likely to address your concerns. You can save a little NOW and PAY MORE LATER. It is your choice. Avoid (if possible) the LOWEST fares as they have the most restrictions,what else would you expect, they also earn fewer FF Points, and in some cases NONE. If you really want to know your costs. Divide the fare by the # of miles flown,( this = cost per mile). U.S airlines have the LOWEST taxes in the WORLD, but beware of cancelations, time changes etc.When possible fly direct, less likely to lose luggage, miss connections etc. Good luck, and enjoy your trip.

i am planning a trip for my retirement next may,the trip is going to cost my wife and i 2699.00 each,but then i am now informed that there is a cost called airport tax which is going to cost an additional 450 .oo each minimum this i have a problem with as i can't see paying another 1000.00 dollars to some airport

I had to cancel a flight with air canada last year when I was hospitalised with cancer. Then I rebooked a flight this year with the credit, by the way you cannot prebook a seat with a credit, only the flight can come out of the credit. Air Canada wanted $150 in 'change flight' fees, $75 each way.
I emailed them, cannot ever get through on the phone unless you hang on for hours, and told them what I thought about their penalising me because I was sick. Also told them if they stopped 'nickle and diming' their customers to death, they would get more people flying with them.
I actually got a waiver of one of the $75 but still had to pay the other $75.
I cannot understand why they need to be so bad about credits. I think a 2 year period is fine for a credit to expire. if it has to expire, what harm is it doing them just to sit there until you need it. I fly as little as possible, but living on the east coast island in Canada, that's pretty hard. I can fly to the uk and back fior cheaper than from here to Toronto??????
It just does not make sense.

The problem is the CEO mentality that profits must increase every year?

Humm. This is what pays salaries ( and yes CEO'S make way too much ) for staff and pays investors.
Why is making a profit such a bad thing?

Don't fly then if it bothers you so much. EVERYTHING costs money.

BTW. If profits never increase, you would NEVER get a raise. NOT a difficult concept.

well how about the user fees for all the credit cards ,
try to stay in business by supporting all the credit card charges to the merchants ,
this is out of control i think the goverment has to look into all these charges,and adjust accordingly the rulings