Dehumanize the Passenger and Profit, the Airline Industries Obnoxious Behavior.

Dehumanize the Passenger and Profit, the Airline Industries Obnoxious Behavior.

All of us appreciate frankness. We may not like what we want to hear but appreciate the honesty and respectful regard of words straightforwardly spoken. But, what the heck is going on with the airlines in America? It is impossible to buy a ticket anymore without reading all the fine print regarding baggage allowances.

Two weeks ago, I purchased a ticket from Los Angeles, California to Denver Colorado on United Airlines. The ticket was not for myself, but a simple Nepalese village woman who I brought from Nepal, my daughter’s aunt, to spend time in Colorado with her to help with her newborn.

I didn’t consider baggage an issue because she had only a shoulder bag/purse and a tiny backpack, very tiny. In fact, it was too tiny to fit the small purse in without rolling it up and practically ruining it when the United agent said the handbag counted as a “bag.”. Of course, after rolling it up and squishing it in the small rucksack, we realized that we had to take it out again because her passport was in it.

Then the agent was kind enough to kneel beside her and help her cram it in her bag again. I was annoyed and asked him if I could just pay the baggage fee and check it. But he said that because of the fact it ties on top and is slightly open, the airline does not allow it.

If you are going to travel, wouldn’t one expect to have a reasonable amount of baggage allowed to accommodate one during those travels? Who travels with just a purse or a fistful of cash? It may be true that passengers have for a long, long, time tested reasonable baggage allowances, (two check-ins and a carry-on), and deserve a certain amount of punishment, but the current baggage regulations are a punishment that does not suit the crime.

I just returned from several months in Asia, where “normal” baggage rules are intact, and I cannot imagine how shocked my Asian brothers and sister must be when they arrive in the “Land of Opportunity” and venture on a plane somewhere. How can the airlines not be embarrassed? One could hardly do an outing to the beach with the current baggage allowances.

Now, playing the devil’s advocate here, the airlines, I can see some value for the traveler who travels light. His ticket fees are probably less because he isn’t paying for the baggage of others who abuse the system. There is some logic in this. Abuse of baggage policies may have forced airlines into their present predicament. But, one should resolve difficulties fairly, while keeping passenger dignity in mind.

Confusing, multi-tiered, ticketing based on baggage is ridiculous. A reasonable amount of baggage for a passenger’s welfare should be included in every ticket. Airlines are after all supposed to be our hosts, and they should behave that way, by respecting the passengers right to travel comfortably.

The airlines have us. We are a captured prey and have little choice but to do as they demand, or fly Southwest, my new choice.

(Pictured,  my free baggage coming from Asia, and Meena’s small carry on)

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