That'll be $2,000 extra for your aisle seat, Mr. Nader

[Fuddnik]

By Bob Sullivan

How much would you pay to be sure certain you wouldn’t get stuck in a middle seat on a 3-hour flight? Would you pay $2,000? You know airline fees have been a little crazy lately, but this sounds pretty extreme.

Famed consumer advocate Ralph Nader says American Airlines tried to charge him nearly $2,000 extra recently to get an aisle seat for an upcoming flight.

American Airlines says there is no such thing as $2,000 aisle seat fee. But Nader was informed , repeatedly, that the only way he could be sure he’d be able to get an aisle seat to accommodate his large 6-foot, 4-inch frame on an upcoming Hartford, Conn., to Dallas-Ft. Worth flight was to buy a different ticket than the $750 ticket he already had -- one that would cost him $2,680, or almost $2,000 more.
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"I knew that it might be $50 more for aisle seats. But they said, 'Oh no. The only choice is pay $2,680 or be an elite traveler,’" Nader said. "It's extortion. They are charging you for knee lengths."

http://redtape.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/08/10344838-thatll-be-2000-extra-for-your-aisle-seat-mr-nader
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Airlines are really getting out of control, gouging customers for every last nickel they can get. Baggage fees, convenience fees for booking online, change fees, and on and on. And, they're pretty deceptive about the way they do it.

I just experienced one back in October. I booked a flight on Delta on Oct. 5th from Tampa to Wash DC to spend a couple of weeks at the start of the Oct. 6th Occupation. The flight cost $289 plus $35 each way for each checked bag.

On Oct. 4th, I got a phone call telling me my 83 year old father had been admitted to ICU in South Carolina with a possible stroke. I immediately called Delta to try to change my reservations to a later date, due to a medical emergency. They hit me with a $200 "change fee", saying I would have an $89 credit for the leftover fare, that must be used within a year.

Yeah, like that will ever happen. I'll never even consider booking with them again.

When I got back to Florida a week later, I contacted Delta "customer service", about it. They gave me a long list of documentation that I would need to give them, most of which would violate HIPPA laws, for them to consider a full credit.

This needs to be put to an end. They do this for only one reason. They can.

[xchrom]

1. i honestly don't know how tall people can even stand the seats on airlines any more.

they are jammed so close together -- i feel crunched and i'm only5'9''.

[Luciferous]

3. My husband is 6'1" and slightly claustrophobic. After our flight to Dallas a couple of weeks ago he

said he's never flying again unless he's in first class.

[Tansy_Gold]

6. It's no better for short people

I'm barely 5' tall. This means that in a standard airline seat, my feet don't touch the floor. I don't fly often, but when I do, I try to make sure I have some item of carry-on luggage that I can put on the floor to serve as a footstool. A couple years ago, on a non-stop from Sea-Tac to Newark, a very annoying flight attendant kept telling me my "footstool" bag had to be stowed under the seat. I had a window seat, so there was no worry of anyone else tripping over the bag, so I complied with her commands and as soon as she was out of sight dragged the bag out. Were they going to stop the plane and kick me off? I didn't think so.

The risk was that if I didn't have a way to relieve the pressure of the seat edge on the backs of my knees, thus cutting off circulation to my lower legs, I'd end up with blood clots. It's bad enough on a two- or three- hour flight, but for six hours? No way.

Again, they do it because they can and no one even tries to stop them. It's all about deregulation and competition!!!

[zipplewrath]

7. Stow it for take off

You only have to leave it under the seat for take off (and landing). You can pull it out for the rest of the flight. It's a rule to attempt to keep bags from flying around in a crash or other accident. I understand what you're saying, a bag of any size in under a window seat isn't going to particularly go flying around anymore than stuff in the overheads, but that's why the rule is there.

But if you want to make everyone happy, just stow it until the plane takes off, then just pull it back out.

[Tansy_Gold]

12. I understand that

The flight attendant kept making the demand throughout the flight, not just at take-off and landing. And that's not the only flight I've had them do that.

I also found that having my tray down kept her from seeing what my feet were resting on.

This is one of the reasons why I have dogs. They're a good excuse why I can't go anywhere and people should come visit me instead. That way I don't have to fly!

[zipplewrath]

14. She's an idiot

Once the plane's at altitude, or really after take off, there's no reason for her request. Laptops are out, heck I've taken whole picnics on long flights. No reason you can't have a "foot rest". If you cared enough you could probably write the airline or something.

Or you can stay home with the dog. They're probably more "reasonable" to deal with.

[JCMach1]

9. Try the 14-24 total flying hours it takes me to get back to the states...

Torture is the best way I can describe it...

I laugh at the length of flights they are describing in the OP.

When I fly anywhere in the states, the short time feels like a vacation...

[CTyankee]

13. KLM was charging the euro equivalent of $100 for a little more legroom on a JFK-Amsterdam

flight I took last October. I shudda gone for it, but I had a low dose sleeping pill and took it soon after take off so I wouldn't have to care that much.

The best transatlantic flight I've had recently was an Air France flight from DeGaulle to JFK last April. Extra legroom on this particular aircraft and no additional charge. Whatta relief!

[JCMach1]

15. I flew America last Summer

It was codeshare with BA from DXB to LHR. No Problems... Get on the flight from LHR to O'Hare and it is those old, tiny 767's with uncomfortable crowded seats. I seriously wanted to bolt when I got on.

It was even worse. I was traveling alone with my 1 yr. old who had just been weaned (I'm a dad and mom couldn't get the time off)...

The only thing that made it bearable were the American flight attendants. They get a big thumbs up from me and were extraordinarily helpful.

[JCMach1]

16. Best longhaul carriers from my experience

Tops: Emirates, British Airways, and yes Delta

Bottom: Lufthansa, American, US Airways

[HughBeaumont]

5. Airline and bus seats can barely accommodate an average-sized 10 year old.

Flights are not only overpacked and ridiculoulsly cramped, they're expensive as shit.

I'm driving to Atlanta from Cleveland this year. 11 hours doesn't matter when I'll be saving 1000 dollars and personal space invasion to the point of telephone booth stuffing.

[Luciferous]

2. I was on an American Airlines flight to DFW a couple of weeks ago, with an aisle seat,

and I didn't pay anything extra. I would have been pretty ticked off if they tried to charge me more just for being on the aisle.

[tavalon]

4. This is why, against their preference,

I take sleep drugs to go on planes. I'm claustrophobic and as the seats get closer and closer, I just hide in a window seat and go to sleep. I'll be of no use in an emergency, but come on, let's be honest, any crash doesn't require much of anyone, just get dead, quickly and as painlessly as possible and I think I can more efficiently do that if I'm asleep when I crash and become dead, right?

[JCMach1]

10. Some of us need an aisle... I have had kidney surgery that makes so I have to go frequently

add on top of that my back and foot problems and my height (6'1&quot and the Window, or middle seats just don't work.

[tavalon]

11. I'm not actually disagreeing

I'm commiserating. I'm shorter and since the sleep medicine knocks me out, it's better to be at a window seat so I don't drool on a stranger - I think that might be bad form, ya know?

I think the title of this thread should be , "Are the airlines becoming the true terrorists now?".

[JCMach1]

17. Right you are... when I move back to the states, I vow to NEVER, EVER fly again

Trust me, I wish I could sleep...

Two atarax even do not do the trick.

[zipplewrath]

8. Sumpin' weird here

They were trying to reticket him for some reason. Not sure what that was, especially just to get an aisle seat. I wonder if it was because it was ALSO a premium seat of some sort (aisle, etc.). They're constantly changing the rules so ya never know.