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Do you think airlines are sneaky about fuel surcharges, fees for extra baggage and other charges for various services?

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FOR SURE.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

sure, even airlines will admit to it.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Huh? Is this a trick question???? Of course, they are! 110% without a doubt! That is one of the reasons why the Airline industry is so despised!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Yes. What would you think if you took a taxi and paid the fare on the meter, only to be told that there was an additional charge for petrol?

7 ( +7 / -0 )

oh yeah. Definitely overpriced.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

I think everyone is used to the fuel surcharge now and know that they will have to pay an extra 25,00 - 30,000 yen more than the advertised fare. What I don't like is the way airlines want to charge more for seats at the front of each section just because you get a bit more legroom.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I approve of the recent introduction of being able to choose my seat, and I don't mind paying extra for an exit seat.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

Yes. Fuel has been thru the roof for ages now. Time it was all built in and disclosed in price.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

I just want one flat price for everything. That way I can decide if I want to travel or not. I am sick to death of corporate greed, declining quality and BS marketing and sales. Airlines are sadly not alone in this. Just look at the declining quality of just about everything you buy.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

The reason they can get away with it, is because they know, no matter what, you need to fly. I can't go to California by ship! It would take me a few weeks, therefore, the only other way is to fly and that's where they get you! So they monopolize the industry and can charge you whatever they want. Either way regardless of the cost, we will have to pay. It's a combination of bribery and extortion. These people are NOT looking out for our best interests and if anyone thinks that, they are a fool. By the way, I heard recently that the surcharge is going to go up and remain high, even after the summer season. It's all about profits. Even after all that money spent, they still give you crappy food, long lines, airline staff with funky attitudes.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Of course it is. But in the end people dont really care or they wouldnt fly. Same as taxes, too high but they still pay without protest. It`s all about cash these days not being a nice guy.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

If I billed my clients extra for the electricity I used while working on their projects, I would have gone out of business a long time ago.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

The costs are not just expensive, they are very inconsistent. You can have two similar flights with one listed as $700 plus $300 fuel charge, and another listed as $300 plus $700 fuel charge.

OK I made that up completely but I remember seeing flights like that.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Who cares? Blaming bureaucracies for extra charges is mindless. The cost is the cost. Example: I leave Victoria BC on May 21 and arrive in Sendai May 22; the return from YYJ/YVR/NAR/SDJ is $1600. Who cares how they divvy it up? I'm flying halfway around the world, in the air for about 14 hours, and at a cost of about $120/hour??? Get a taxi for that, I dare you!

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Besides, in Canada now, they have to make it all a single price. I think an earlier poster said that.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Get a taxi for that, I dare you!

If I was to share that taxi with 100 other people I bet you I could.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Basically, what I do not like is the bait-and-switch false advertising. Advertised flights are cheaper than they have ever been. Actual prices are not. They know what the price is when they advertise it, so hy not be honest about.

"Everyone else lies, so we have to, too." is the probable answer.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Three words...Low Cost Carriers! You have to pay some extra charges (relatively small), but no price doubling fuel surcharges.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I've seen a Boeing 747 carry a SPACE SHUTTLE bolted on top of it. Obviously, overweight luggage fees are BULLCRAP.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

At least baggage is reasonable in Japan. Two checked bags included, and this covers domestic legs at your destination. I don't care about surcharges, as long as they quote me the full price so I can compare with other airlines and routes.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Who cares? Blaming bureaucracies for extra charges is mindless. The cost is the cost. Example: I leave Victoria BC on May 21 and arrive in Sendai May 22; the return from YYJ/YVR/NAR/SDJ is $1600. Who cares how they divvy it up? I'm flying halfway around the world, in the air for about 14 hours, and at a cost of about $120/hour??? Get a taxi for that, I dare you!

That's beside the point, if you don't care that they stick it to you in the...then fine. NO one here is complaining about the cost of the plane, but the rising surcharges, yeah, I get it all, they can and your point, but there is NO reason that the airline industry has to be mafia like and over the top greedy. Some people like probably don't care, but NOT for the majority of travel goers. You are kidding yourself if you think otherwise and accept it as OK!

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Yes, they are.

I had one tell me that my bag was overweight and that I had to pay more for it to be allowed on the plane. I didn't mind that. But, they then said "yeah, sorry, it's for safety reasons". So I said "it's for safety reasons, but me paying extra money suddenly makes it safe? How does that work?". The reply was, "Sorry, that's what I've been told to say".

So yeah, it's mostly a big scam to get money.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

I had one tell me that my bag was overweight and that I had to pay more for it to be allowed on the plane. I didn't mind that. But, they then said "yeah, sorry, it's for safety reasons". So I said "it's for safety reasons, but me paying extra money suddenly makes it safe? How does that work?". The reply was, "Sorry, that's what I've been told to say".

Err that's kind of an easy one. If everyone could take as much luggage as they wanted, people would start taking 30kg, then 40, then 50... you would have normal passenger flights being used for international freight. These limits are there to keep a lid on people going crazy (not to mention that lifting more weight requires more fuel)

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Sneaky? Not really, because the fees are made pretty clear in advance of any purchase.

Greedy? Absolutely.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

@probie

Ever notice that if you are a FIRST CLASS customer, you can add an extra luggage for FREE, never saw anything about weight, just the word FREE.

It's a scam, at least the airline industry shouldn't call it what it's not.

@Daniel

Right, I agree, but because you pay for FIRST CLASS that allows you to add an extra bag for FREE? I didn't read anything about limitations on weight when it involves the people sitting way in the front! Impose some of the more reasonable rules if you must, but treating people different because they carry more class is IMHO opinion outrageous! Whether I pay $1500 or you being FIRST CLASS (going to the same destination) paying $5200 shouldn't make ANY difference on how I should be treated. Paying more doesn't make you better! Regardless, this is all a lot of money, period! And for that amount of money, I want to be treated like royalty, literally. If I'm going to get screwed, at least kiss me, don't ask me to pay more for anything else extra on the plane! And at the airport, allow me to have access to a decent lounge or at least make a nice lounge and give the option to the people should they choose to stay in one. Sorry, I have absolutely ZERO sympathy for the Airline industry! Bunch of Mafioso's in the sky. Oh, and don't get me started on how they treat their pilots. It's a wonder why we don't see more plane crashes, but at this rate, you never know. But they are often treated like dirt. If anyone should be treated like royalty, it's the pilots. They fly us back and forth, often little sleep. These men and women are amazing, but alas, they too, suffer in this careless industry.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

@bassfunk What are you talking about? The airlines I use are completely open about about the luggage allowance (1x23 on eco, or 3 x32kg on first). I recently went to India. The difference in pricing was ~ 1,3 million yen (eco to first). It can hardly be called "free" extra luggage if you are paying a million ¥ more for your ticket in the first place can it??!!

You get what you pay for, nothing more, nothing less.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I had one tell me that my bag was overweight and that I had to pay more for it to be allowed on the plane. I didn't mind that. But, they then said "yeah, sorry, it's for safety reasons". So I said "it's for safety reasons, but me paying extra money suddenly makes it safe? How does that work?". The reply was, "Sorry, that's what I've been told to say".

Err that's kind of an easy one. If everyone could take as much luggage as they wanted, people would start taking 30kg, then 40, then 50... you would have normal passenger flights being used for international freight.

Yes, I know that. I'm not dumb. I wasn't complaining about that.

These limits are there to keep a lid on people going crazy (not to mention that lifting more weight requires more fuel)

Then why lie and say it's for "safety reasons", if those "safety reasons" can be circumvented by paying more money? They could just say "we have to limit luggage to 30kg as much as we can so we charge for extra", or just, I don't know, say NOTHING unless someone asks them why? Anyone who has any common sense knows why they do it, what I don't like is when they lie about it.

Ever notice that if you are a FIRST CLASS customer, you can add an extra luggage for FREE, never saw anything about weight, just the word FREE.

I'm not going to pay the stupid costs for first class. Anyway, you're missing the point of what I said. Re-read and try again.

Besides, the whole first class= free extra luggage is stupid. What if all the first class people brought 300kg of luggage each?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Err that's kind of an easy one. If everyone could take as much luggage as they wanted, people would start taking 30kg, then 40, then 50... you would have normal passenger flights being used for international freight. These limits are there to keep a lid on people going crazy (not to mention that lifting more weight requires more fuel)

It would be more fair if they weighed the luggage AND the person, and charged by the total weight.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

With increases in security, the people who are making money are the airport concessions, since you have to arrive so early to clear all the procedures. Time + boredom = unnecessary shopping

0 ( +0 / -0 )

"Sneaky" implies they are doing it with some sort of stealth or something, I'd say it's more like blatantly obvious. I mean, you have to love how they always have a 'fuel shortage' just before the major holidays and so have to jack up prices, and they actually decide beforehand when the shortage will end (after the return exodus).

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

"In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will deploy from the ceiling up above. Kindly take the mask and place it over your mouth and nose and breath normally. Immediately deposit 33 cents for the first 3 minutes of oxygen and 19 cents for each minute thereafter. Exact change is appreciated."

Yes folks, this is what it's coming down to. The airlines should be regulated by their respective government the way it used to be in the United States. They are clearly ripping us off! I even hear that some airlines will start charging for the use of their lavatories! Are you kidding me?!

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I thought everyone knew by now that the 1st class and business flyers are subsidising everyone else. Ive flown 1st class about a dozen times and business about twice that (on someone elses dime) in my life but was quite happy to enjoy the benefits (lounge, food, wine, etc), including lots of baggage. Of course, the weight of luggage (and passengers) adds to take off weight so it is tied with safety to some extent. When I know the load factor of a flight is not full I`ll often be able to get out of paying for extra baggage. One big tip is to try to fly as often as possible with one airline and partner airlines to build up miles. That will help you as you smile and ask for something special at check-in. Those ground staff have a lot of leeway...always keep your cool and be the nicest person in line. Been bumped up many times :)

2 ( +2 / -0 )

The "fuel surcharge" is just a ruse to devalue the air miles they issue. Another annoyance is the "booking fee" that Jetstar, and others, have.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

ANA's not sneaky about anything. And I see some people complain about crappy food and airline staff with funky attitudes, must be they don't fly ANA.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

There are some spot on comments by Meguroman and Wipeout. First class and business are indeed subsidizing the rest of the flight. Together they generate as much as 50% of a long haul flights revenue, sometimes more. I would say they get a few privileges.

Like Wipeout I cannot understand why people use a travel agency to book their tickets. I have had nothing but great results using Expedia, Travelocity, and so forth even though I have to make two bookings because of my family size. With such sites the price it quotes you is what you are paying. They do not put out a low fare to entice customers, and then hit them with "hidden" fees.

As far as luggage fees . . . flyers have ALWAYS been charged for luggage. These days, tickets are itemized (by law) so you know exactly where your money is going and for what. BITD, you paid the same fee as everyone else, even if you just had a carry-on. Paying more for heavy luggage is entirely fair. More weight equals more fuel burned. Weight is definitely a safety issue. Not so much on a 777. We have a wide CG range, but on something like an ATR-72, Dash 8, etc. weight becomes crucial. CG can easily exceed limits if there is too much weight on board which is why weight management is very necessary.

And before anyone says they miss how flying used to be, how you were made to feel special, yada yada yada . . .

Shut up! Flying was WAY more expensive back then. For example: today you can get a flight from New York to LA for around $300. Before deregulation the same ticket would cost you $1,400 in today's dollars.

've seen a Boeing 747 carry a SPACE SHUTTLE bolted on top of it. Obviously, overweight luggage fees are BULLCRAP.

Before making such an authoritative statement you should consider that NASA's 747 Shuttle Carrier Aircraft had a range of about 1,000nm vice 5,500 for a regular 747-100.

ANA's not sneaky about anything. And I see some people complain about crappy food and airline staff with funky attitudes, must be they don't fly ANA

Thank you for the kind words.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Another annoyance is the "booking fee" that Jetstar, and others, have.

LCCs can really stick it to you with extra charges.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I am sick to death of corporate greed,

RIP, there is no way around it on this little planet we call home.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Well the choice is either a higher priced ticket with the label of being a 'full service' air line, or the current system.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

maybe this will answer the direction some airlines are going http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/feb/28/ryanair-standing-only-plane-tickets-regulator

at least weigh the person and either fix a threshold based on the nations (flight originating from) average weight for either gender and/or have a total weight including luggage which if you are underweight means you have more luggage leeway.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

at least weigh the person and either fix a threshold based on the nations (flight originating from) average weight for either gender and/or have a total weight including luggage which if you are underweight means you have more luggage leeway.

I like the second idea: a certain weight limit (person /luggage) per seat. Also, large people should pay for two seats. If someone cannot get their armrests down then they need to purchase another ticket.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Airlines buy fuel futures to fix their costs but we still get told the surcharge is because of rising prices. They want us to think it's like filling up at the gas station on a daily basis with the daily fluctuations being paid for out of their pockets and passed on to us.

They hedge the prices via futures contracts and hedge some more by having customers pay a surcharge, which last time I flew to the UK was more than the ticket itself.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Airlines are by nature sneaky. I dont trust any of them.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

DaveAllTogehter: Also, large people should pay for two seats. If someone cannot get their armrests down then they need to purchase another ticket.

I don't think I've ever had the problem of the person next to me not fitting in the actual seat. Here's the real problem: Stand up and measure the distance between your elbows. Now compare that to a seat that is 17.5 inches wide. Not a lot of room for your arms, is there? In the end you're just telling the airlines that you'll support higher prices for their smaller seats.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yeah, since there's no industry standard on pricing baggage it's deceptive. Go do a search on Expedia for a flight from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. You won't know what your true cost is unless you select a ticket and go down the path a bit before you can see what you will pay in checked bags fees. I'm betting airlines bet on you going down that path and then decide you don't want to start over again because you might be saving $10 on another ticket.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

These limits are there to keep a lid on people going crazy (not to mention that lifting more weight requires more fuel)

Probie: Then why lie and say it's for "safety reasons", if those "safety reasons" can be circumvented by paying more money?

Because they've calculated the odds of passengers bringing oversize bags on the average flight. If they had a "bring anything you want" policy it would become a safety issue, so the fees create the balance,

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Also, large people should pay for two seats. If someone cannot get their armrests down then they need to purchase another ticket.

Riiiight....and you don't think airlines will slowly start to make their seats smaller then in order to screw more money out of passengers - while passengers like you encourage them.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Riiiight....and you don't think airlines will slowly start to make their seats smaller then in order to screw more money out of passengers - while passengers like you encourage them.

The kind of people i had in mind when I made the post you quoted are around sumo size. Most economy seats are too small for people in the vicinity of 250lbs (150lbs on RyanAir).

0 ( +0 / -0 )

And, Dave, we're saying you don't need to be sumo size to be uncomfortable in the seat. Please don't encourage the airlines to charge more by screwing the public on seat size.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Finnair are always comlpetely upfront. The price they tell you is what you pay, no surcharges ever. And you can reserve your seat months before you fly.

Only problem is the bar at Helsinki airport. 1157 yen for two-thirds of a pint of beer : (

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Please don't encourage the airlines to charge more by screwing the public on seat size.

I am not encouraging them to "screw the public" on seat size. I want to see people charged for the weight transported, AND . . . extra large people should have to buy two seats. Nowhere in any of my statements have I supported smaller seat size.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

in japan i understand that the fuel surcharge doesn't have to be only for fuel by law. they just call it that to decieve the public. and ever notice how fast it goes up but slowly it goes down? or have no reasonable relation that i can see to the distance flown?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Dave: I want to see people charged for the weight transported, AND . . . extra large people should have to buy two seats.

Extra large people already have to buy 2 seats.

I flew on a 737-800 on a 4-hour flight and the seat room was insane. I had trouble getting my small bag from under my seat because there was no room in front of me. I couldn't read the newspaper without having it in front of my face after the person put his seat back. I could not believe how small of a space I had. I felt like I was "too large" for my seat even though I'm a regular size male. I suppose I've just had it with airline seat space and I want the airlines to know about it.

As for being charged by weight, what difference does it make? Consider all of the cargo and bags and other things on the plane, would someone who has a extra 20 lbs. really change anything? Are they going to charge an extra $0.20? Are you sure you want a system where women and kids get the same seat but you always pay more?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

First class flyers basically subsidize the flight for the rest of us peasants

I've even heard of a scheme where airlines may start charging for window seats..

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The most variable of the airlines' expenses in the cost of doing business is the cost of fuel. Capital expenditures and salaries remain fairly fixed throughout the fiscal year, but the cost of fuel fluctuates weekly. Due to this, I can see the justification for a fuel surcharge but only when the cost of fuel exceeds what was calculated into the fares when they were set. When the price of fuel drops back down to where they had expected it to be, do you see the airlines eliminating the fuel surcharge? Yeah, right!

Extra baggage fees are based on the assumption that each passenger plus baggage will add X amount of weight to the plane's takeoff weight and any baggage that exceeds the calculated X will increase the fuel usage to get to the destination. Is a 10-pound bag going to result in $25 more fuel use during the flight? Doubtful, but they have to set the amount SOMEWHERE standard.

All those other fees and taxes are fixed and should be included in the base price of the ticket.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I would love to see the complete fare up front. No. 1 travel will advertise a flight from Japan to the U.S. for 49,000 yen. To get the real price you have to call them up which is horribly inefficient. If the price isn't right I am not going to be tricked into purchasing with a teaser rate only to find that the actual flight is going to cost me three times that.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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