New Regulations and Surcharges from The Airline Industry

So much has changed in the way we travel in recent years. Since 2001 and the events of 9/11 we saw many security features improved, including screening, and what is considered to be acceptable to bring with you on vacation. Now, on top of all of the security changes, we are witnessing yet another change, and that is in the airline fares. If you are a frequent flyer, you have probably already noticed the significant increase in prices for tickets. This is due to the overwhelming current price of fuel.

For airlines to survive, they simply had to increase their fares to account for the increase in fuel prices. The way they are doing this is by charging every flyer a surcharge for fuel. This is not new; however, what has changed is yet another increase to the fuel surcharge.

Fuel surcharges of 20 dollars or more on a roundtrip ticket is now common and is expected to increase along with the cost the airlines are paying for fuel.

Now the airlines are adding baggage surcharges. Nearly all airlines are adding $25 for the second bag and a few are charging for all bags. This will increase the price of your trip by $50 or more. It will get to the point where it might become too expensive to fly for some people. Some airlines, like Southwest, still have no additional charges. This is because they were able to secure fuel at around 50 dollars per barrel this year, which is much less than the current rate. Look for Southwest to raise prices as their costs go up.

The reasoning behind these surcharges is all about fuel. If there is not so much baggage then more people can fit. That means more money from ticket sales. You also may have witnessed how some airlines are giving large discounts to travelers who are not bringing any luggage. However, this is just simply not an option for a lot of us.

Be sure to check with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) before you travel to see the latest regulations for checked and carry-on baggage. There have been some important changes in the last year or so you need to know, especially if you are not a frequent traveler. Most new regulations have to do with bringing liquids on the aircraft.

The biggest change is the ability to take liquids, gels, or aerosols on the plane. For a while you were not allowed to bring any of these on the plane, but recently the TSA and travelers have come to consensus that that is just not an option. For the children and elderly travelers, who require medications and nourishment, the rules are a lot more lenient.

These new rules essentially require everyone to bring no more than 3 ounces each of their liquid, gel or aerosol needs and put them all in one see-thru plastic bag that can be inspected at security at the airport. As you know this is all about a terrorist threat a few years ago. So for your own safety be prepared before arrival at the airport.

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!