Fresh Air Interview with Scott McCartney
May 17th, 2008 | Posted by Pauline Kenny
Things are changing in the world of air travel. Airlines are merging, ticket prices are going up and things that used to be included in the ticket price are being charged as extras. Meals are not always included, some airlines charge for more than one checked bag, fees for overweight bags are higher, you may pay extra for early seat selection.
On Thursday, Scott McCartney was on NPR’s Fresh Air. This was a very informative program talking about the changes and what to expect. You can listen to it online or as a podcast.
NPR Fresh Air, May 15, 2008 - Scott McCartney on Air Travelers’ Turbulent Times
Scott McCartney, who writes the “Middle Seat” column for The Wall Street Journal, joins Fresh Air to talk about the state of the industry — and the passenger.
When purchasing your flight tickets for your next trip, go to the airline website and find out what extra charges there are on top of your ticket price so that you won’t be suprised when you are at the airport.
I think some of these charges are justified and are good for the consumer. The person who travels with one checked suitcase should pay less than the person with two bags, in my opinion. I would pay extra to select my seats ahead of time (although, we all know that does not guarentee that you end up in those seats). Some airlines, like United and British Airways, offer a premium economy seat that costs more, but I think it is well worth it for the extra legroom and seat width.
