Travel Factory Blog
"Inside Skinny" On airlines, Cruise Lines, And Tour Operators
In a news story from the Seattle Times, they note that the airlines started charging for checked luggage in 2008 and fees have climbed steadily since. In fact the report came out yesterday that the U.S. airlines collected more than $6 billion in baggage and reservation change fees from passengers last year.
The Bureau of Transportation Statistics reported that the nation’s 15 largest carriers took in $3.5 billion in bag fees and $2.6 billion in fees for changing reservations. Delta Air Lines took in the most fees, $865.9 million from baggage fees alone. The airlines have also begun charging fees for extra legroom, the ability to skip security lines, and for premium meals. Passengers can expect to pay even more this summer. My only editorial comment is that it looks like to this poor ‘ole travel agent that they could share some of that revenue with their travel partners who carry a heavy load in servicing the airline’s clients and our good friends.
Carnival made a recent announcement that they were going to suspend all cruises in the European markets in 2014. That’s quite a departure of direction from a couple of years ago. One of their reasons for this decision was that the airfares to Europe were keeping a lot of their customers from purchasing this type of vacation.
It is not unlike an announcement yesterday by Regent Seven Seas Cruises who said they will replace its scheduled Mediterranean cruises on two of their ships in the fall of 2014. Instead they are looking to putting those ships in the southern Africa and South Pacific markets. Looks like Europe’s getting the shaft for 2014, so the possibility for some air discounts for cruises might be in the works to entice more passengers on European cruises.
This week I heard of three tour operators who have received the license from the U. S. Department of the Treasury to sell tours to Cuba. This is under the “People-to-People” program designed to explore Cuban culture in its cities and countryside. Collette Vacations, Globus, and Central Holidays have designed 7-9 day tours ranging from around $3000 and up from Miami, depending on the date of departure. Most of Americans have been restricted for over 40 years from going to this neighbor just 90 miles away from our shores, so it is definitely a departure from the normal. The experienced travel agents at The Travel Factory would be “fired up” to help someone from The Big Country manufacture this dream trip. So. . . . .
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