Airlines That Are Not Screwing You Over

Airlines That Are Not Screwing You Over

Having a shopping spree on an airplane might seem far-fetched, but it might be a reality with all the fees airlines are charging. It seems everything that was once complimentary, is now available for sale, including blankets, water, and the window seat. One airline has announced they will charge for the use of oxygen masks in the event of an emergency. I'm kidding, but at the rate of these added fees, it may be wise to pack an oxygen tank next to your toothbrush just to be safe. If you think coach passengers are the only ones affected, United Airlines has recently cut meal services for their business class passengers. A family of four can expect to pay more than $200 next time they fly with these new fees (maybe you should reconsider taking the old station wagon for your next trip to Disney World). Yet, not all airlines are biting the dust. Here is a breakdown of the airlines that are not charging for added services:

- Book By Phone-For the ones that are still internet-challenged and still book their tickets over the phone (yes, they do exist), Southwest and Spirit Airlines don't have a fee for talking to a live person. Some airlines charge up to $35 for using their call centers, rivaling the fees of most 1-900 numbers.

- Curbside Check-In- If you're too lazy to go inside the terminal to check-in and prefer to do it on the curb, most airlines are already charging a few bucks for this service. The carriers that aren't charging for this include American Airlines, Continental, AirTran, Frontier, and Southwest.

- Unaccompanied Minors- If you want a vacation from parenting and want to send your kiddies away to grandma, the cost to fly unaccompanied children can reach up to $100. Only Southwest does this service for free.

- Snacks- Even stale peanuts are better than no peanuts- some airlines have stopped serving free snacks altogether. Southwest, JetBlue, Continental, Delta, and Alaska are still offering free snacks to munch on. If you're looking for a free meal, Hawaiian and Continental are still offering food at no cost on flights over a certain time.

- Ticket Change fee- If your dog died and you're too distress to fly, changing the date on your ticket can be more costly than the actual ticket price itself. Southwest has no fee to change your ticket, allowing you to mourn Rover's death in peace.

- On-Board Entertainment- When your iPod dies on a six-hour flight and you have nothing to do but roll your thumbs, you'll be glad you flew with these airlines. AirTran, Frontier, and United don't charge for headsets and neither does Virgin America.

- Beverages- On US Airways, there is no such thing as free water. The airline charges $2 for a water bottle on domestic flights, and just an FYI-the water from sink is non-potable. Airlines that still provide complimentary water and soft drinks include American, Alaska, Continental, Delta, Northwest, Southwest, United, and Virgin America. Plan on hitting the airport bar before boarding- no domestic airline offers complimentary alcoholic beverages in coach.

- Luggage- Probably the most important thing to consider when choosing an airline is their baggage fees. With some airlines charging up to $50 to check-in a bag, more people are trying to squeeze everything in the overhead compartment bins. These airlines are not charging for checking-in one bag: Alaska, AirTran, Delta, Frontier, JetBlue, and Virgin America. In addition, Southwest allows you to check-in two bags free of charge.

To better illustrate the cost of added airlines fees, lets create a scenario. Joe is flying US Airways to Los Angeles, while Bob is flying Southwest. Both Joe and Bob missed their flight from having one too many beers the night before. Both are scared of technology, so they change their flight over the phone, preferably a rotary one. This call will cost Joe $25 plus an added $150 to change the ticket, while Bob has to pay nothing. Once at the airport, Joe does curbside check-in to save time and checks-in his two bags ($15 for curbside service and $40 for the two bags). There is no fee for Bob at Southwest for the same services. Once in the air, both get two soft-drinks and one snack, costing Joe $9 while nothing for Bob. If Joe would have taken Southwest with Bob, he would have saved $249 from added airline fees.

Yet with the escalating price of flying, you can still manage to avoid breaking the bank. It pays to do your homework before booking a flight, or you'll end up like poor Joe, literally poor.