Oligopolies are bad & Canadian airlines are infuriating

"thebigbossyboss" (thebigbossyboss) 09/18/2014 at 09:50 • Filed to: None

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Well, as if air travel in Canada wasn't expensive enough, both of the airlines West Jet, and Air Canada have now announced $25 checked bag fees.

"Air Canada says economy-class passengers travelling within Canada and to and from the U.S., Caribbean and Mexico will now have to pay $25 to check a bag."

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"WestJet is now charging economy-fare customers $25 for their first checked bags on flights within Canada and to the U.S."

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Goody goody. Westjet says that "unbundling will make you only pay for the services you use".

I would only believe that if they also said "And as a consequence the base fares will go down by $25".

But noone said that. More catering to the wealthy business traveler who has no bags and then insists on beaning me in the head with their roller suitcase when they try (and fail) to lift it into the bins.

Of course it's not always the airlines fault. Fares will go up thanks to Ontario hiking it's fuel excise tax, because we're broke.

"In a budget tabled last week by Ontario's newly elected Liberal government, Premier Kathleen Wynne has proposed to phase in a four-cent-per-litre increase in the aviation fuel tax to 6.7 cents by 2017. The current tax of 2.7 cents per litre has been in place for more than two decades, but would rise by one cent per litre each year.

The increase, which the government has pledged as part of $29 billion it has dedicated to transit and transportation infrastructure uprgrades in the next decade, is expected to add an estimated $100 million in costs for airlines — cost that will likely be passed on to consumers through higher fares."

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I really hate flying. I should drive home again. That'd be fun.

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KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > thebigbossyboss 09/18/2014 at 10:14

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CA$25? That's actually quite reasonable, considering some airlines (*cough*Spirit Airlines*cough*) charge for carry-ons and have outrageous fees (Don't pay for your carry on prior to boarding? That's $100 or you don't fly!)

Having Medallion status on Delta means I just have to deal with the baggage delivery, which is fine if I'm not paying for it...

EDIT: Also, driving the Trans-Canada Highway wouldn't be a bad option. It takes the drudgery out of Interstate driving. However, lower speed limits are likely.

thebigbossyboss > KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs 09/18/2014 at 10:55

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I've driven it. It (mostly) sucks through Ontario.