united airlines

2012 was a profitable year for airlines... and it's all thanks to you and your over packing.

Last year U.S. based airlines brought in $6 billion thanks to baggage and reservation change fees. That marks the highest amount since the fees became part of your travel plans about five years ago. And while that number is good news for the airline industry it means passengers aren't going to see a break anytime soon.

The first baggage fees were introduced in 2008 and have climbed since then. Now airlines typically charge $25 each way for the first checked bag and $35 for the second bag. Plus you have to toss a few extra bucks their way for overweight or oversize bags.  read more »

For anyone who cringes when asked to shut down electronic devices upon take-off, the airline industry has good news for you.

According to Computer World, about one in three commercial planes flying around the country today are equipped with Wi-Fi. All these planes are operating a GoGo internet service, plus an additional six Southwest planes are using Wi-Fi from a provider called Row 44. And they’re planning to increase the fleet by hooking up all 540 Southwest planes by 2012. Lagging behind the bunch is United Airlines who only has 13 planes set up with Wi-Fi compared to Delta and American which have a combined total of 650.  read more »

Flying the not so friendly skies is getting expensive with extra fees for luggage and food. But which airlines rank the worst when it comes to customer satisfaction?

Earlier this week the University of Michigan released the latest American customer service satisfaction index for the airline industry. The survey shows that the level of contentment is on the rise, but most of the time just being content is simply not enough. Passengers took the opportunity to vent about plane food and flight attendants. And when it came to high flying cuisine, Delta/Northwest reportedly serves the worst, followed closely by United and American. And if travelers were given the chance to speak to the CEO of any airline they would request, “to be fed food you’d eat yourself.”  read more »