Saturday, April 24, 2010

Flying the Blue Skies - New Fees in Air Travel from Continental Airlines

I flew back and forth from Newark to Orlando this week for a conference. It was an informational get together with a company called Campus Management, aimed primarily at higher ed. We also made side trips to sister colleges in the area, meeting with colleagues and gathering good information.

That being said, air travel is the easiest way to efficiently travel between NJ and FL, unless you are at liberty to take the time to drive, which I am not at this point.

On the way to Orlando, we were offered free Direct TV but we had to buy the headphones for $3 - and we could keep them any use them on subsequent flights - wow! On the way home from Orlando, we were offered free headphones but the Direct TV cost $6.

Aren't the execs at Continental Airlines clever?

I was traveling solo, but a ton of people were with their children, most of whom immediately felt like they needed to watch TV, bringing a general cry of anguish from all children who were denied the opportunity. Meanwhile, said small television screen was staring each of us in the face, playing the entire trip with enticing clips that foreshadowed what could be had by just swiping a credit card.
Lastly, cash is no longer a form of currency on Continental Airlines, only credit or debit cards.

Further, I was given the opportunity to save $2 by paying for my checked bag ahead of time - $23 instead of $25. Show me the money. The way I look at it, I'm still out $23.

Brave new world!

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