Airlines are out of control!

[Glo]

We're going on a cruise with our entire family in December. DS1 is in charge of everything and he found a sale on plane tickets. Direct flight from Baltimore to San Juan $325. BUT-- I cannot believe all the extra charges! $6.00 per ticket just to get on line and book! (That's $6.00 each way!). $20 per checked bag; $20 if you want the exit seats for extra leg room; I'm sure there is more but I can't remember. Anyway, the tickets came close to $400! Why not just price the tickets to include everything?

[Mrs-M]

Lucky you! And in December too!!! Perfect time. But the nerve, the nerve of you leaving us all all behind to shiver and think about you while you're gone!

About the prices, whenever I come across marketing strategies like this it irks me. I hate being nickel and dimed!

[Lainey]

Given the price of fuel, airlines now have to operate with a different business model, and fees are here to stay. Personally, I'd love it if they charged the fliers who insist on carrying their bags on board, rather than those of us who check bags. It makes boarding and deplaning take so long now, and I think those people should pay for that convenience.
But I'm sure once you're on the cruise it will all be worth it!

[Glo]

I really don't care to travel all that much but somehow I got this particular bug and I've heard DH talk about how great the Carribean is for more than 40 years. Our three sons and DIL were so happy that I wanted to go that they all decided to come too. We haven't all been together since DS2 got married over 2 years ago so I'm very happy this is going to happen.

I agree that passengers that carry on baggage should be charged also. But all these extra charges are so annoying!

[Wildflower]

I agree that passengers that carry on baggage should be charged also.

I gotta say I disagree with this. When you are only carrying a small pilot size bag that fits in the overhead space, that you are handling yourself - why should you be charged extra for that? Now I have checked baggage when I've had to take the large size baggage on a longer trip, but I'm not going to pay for a small one for a short trip that I am handling myself, and I don't know why anyone would expect someone to be charged for that! It may slow down a little on the departure of the plane, but goodness it's never bothered me or anyone else I've flown with. Have patience, people!! LOL

Enjoy your cruise, Glo!

[babr]

It is getting crazy with the airlines, the cruises etc.; but its so wonderful that you are all getting together! What a memorable trip! When you come back you will have to tell us all about it!

[jennipurrr]

I really like Southwest since they still include all that in the price of a ticket. The past few years though I have gotten really good at packing everything into one carry on...its forced me to be a minimalist when I normally wouldn't have...I've always been an overpacker. Someone here showed me this site some time ago and I got a lot of useful tips - http://www.onebag.com/

[Tammy]

the last few week long trips I've taken, I was able to carry only my backpack and my purse. It's a small backpack, the size of what a high school kid would use for books for school. I loved it, being so lightweight as I traveled. One of the trips included my parents' 50th anniversary party, my sisters' wedding, and a job interview for me. It lasted 8 days, and everything fit in the little backpack.

[Tradd]

I have a small-sized LL Bean Adventure duffel. I can pack for a long weekend in it (probably longer) without issues. The key (as I learned from Miss Minimalist's blog) is using packing cubes. Makes all the difference. I've not flown with it, but it's small enough that I believe it would possibly fit under an airline seat. I have an LL Bean Quickload travel pack I love. It's one of the convertible bags that can work as a backpack, too.

But I'd probably also work with a regular school size backpack with an outer pocket for my iPad - something that is lacking on the otherwise great duffel, as my purse is a small one.

[Tammy]

I've created my own sort of packing cube by using zip lock bags for similar things. I've never used them for the clothing itself. I wonder if a gallon size zip lock bag would do the same thing ...