Re: bad news about travel

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Brett Glass <brett () lariat net>
Date: November 10, 2008 10:21:08 PM EST
To: dave () farber net, "ip" <ip () v2 listbox com>
Subject: Re: [IP] bad news about travel


> I know I'm preaching to the choir here, but I want to let you all know
> about a 'new TSA policy' that could really mess up your travel

The "new TSA policy" of screening carry-on baggage coincides -- and this
is not a coincidence -- with the airlines' imposition of fees for the
first checked bag.

These nagging fees are essentially an attempt to hide a price increase  
from
consumers, who are loathe to pay more for travel due to the current  
economic
downturn. Due to other TSA regulations -- such as those prohibiting  
carriage
of enough liquid toiletries for more than a one day trip -- one  
virtually
HAS to check a bag nowadays, and the airlines know it. And so they have
reaped handsome revenues from imposing charges for every bag.

Passengers are reacting to these absurd charges by bringing more carry- 
ons
on board -- so many that when I last flew the overhead compartments were
full before half of the seats were occupied. And so, the airlines -- not
willing to lose the revenue and also seeing departures delayed by the
scramble for carry-on space -- have asked the TSA to step in.

This isn't the only way in which the TSA is serving the airlines  
rather than
the public. When I first encountered the checked baggage charge (it  
was on
Frontier airlines, which imposed it while I was in the middle of my  
trip --
there was no charge on my outbound flight, so I was blindsided by it on
my return), I complained to the agent, and received as my reward the
"scarlet letters" -- the "SSSS" on your boarding pass which subjects you
to extra screening. Yes, that's right: stand up for your rights as a
passenger and a consumer, and the TSA will cooperate with the airline to
make your flight miserable.

Time to get a high mileage car and forget air travel.

--Brett Glass





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