7.8 Billion

That’s a big number huh?  That is the amount of money the airlines generated charging their ancillary bullshit fees.  It’s pretty disgusting.  If you recall, baggage fees were introduced in 2008 in response to the oil companies raping the world with sky high oil prices.  At the time airlines introduced baggage fees as well as tacking a fuel surcharge onto ticket prices.

Well the price of fuel dropped dramatically a few months later but the airlines never got rid of the fees that were supposedly in response to high fuel prices. Nope, instead they invented MORE FEES.  Now some airlines will charge you extra for pillows, blankets, an aisle seat or in some cases carry on bags!  It makes me absolutely sick to my stomach.  I am so glad that I rarely have the need to fly.

This tactic of raising fees/taxes/prices long term based on a short term issue is a common tactic used by many businesses and all levels of government.  In Florida they have responded to a budget shortfall caused by a decrease in tourism and real estate values by raising/creating fees left and right.  Motor vehicle registration costs were raised almost 50% in the end of 2009 and the fees for almost any state issued service went up as well.   They even had the balls to target the state pension fund as a source to generate more dollars.

The problem is when you claim poverty based on an issue that is short term, you shouldn’t be offering a solution that permanently increases the burden on the public.  It’s maddening.