Flying Lacks Glamour, but Come On—Stop Nickel and Diming

I am protesting my recent trip between Washington Dulles and Charles de Gaulle in Paris. My Mileage Plus account was credited with one segment and 3,861 miles. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case. Because there wasn’t enough fuel on board due to weather conditions, we were forced to make an unscheduled stop in Brussels. Rather than landing 30 minutes early as the captain announced upon take-off less than six hours before, we landed in Paris approximately two hours after our scheduled arrival time. I recognize things are tight at United and another 1000 employees are being laid off. There will be additional cutbacks and times are tough. Still, I wonder how much that unscheduled stop cost. Weren’t there landing fees incurred with our Brussels visit? How much did it cost to file an extra flight plan? How about wear and tear on the plane and passengers? And what about the turn-around costs for the aircraft? I don’t know about the French aviation union, but if it’s like other French unions, a rush job probably carried a premium. The crew was angry and conveyed the feeling this wasn’t the first time they’d made an unscheduled stop. One mumbled the flight’s captain was none too happy. It’s becoming clear that the potential of saving some money is more important than catering to passengers who have boarded the flight. The crew did its best to smile, but was having a helluva time. While I’m in a bitching mode, I travel with Kitty. This is an expensive luxury. But for reasons many people don’t understand, it’s a given. Kitty was born in France, has a EU passport and can travel—even to London that until recently required that an animal spend six months in quarantine before entering the U.K. for fear of rabies. She adopted us and was my legacy from my deceased husband, whom I threatened to kill if he fed this pathetic looking kitten that was camping outside the kitchen door of our country home. I neither killed him nor disowned her. Kitty has made at least 20 round-trip transatlantic flights. She goes to the vet on both sides of the Atlantic to obtain a health certificate within ten days before traveling, has rabies shots plus a few extras and meets all of the health requirements for entry into the US and for the EU. If only my in-flight neighbors were as healthy or as quiet. Kitty sees her carrying case and immediately assumes a Zen state, definitely on a higher (and different) plane. She’s a frequent flyer, but can’t cash in her points or miles. If I were French, I would strike. Being American, I grin and bear it—kinda. That was until United announced it raised the price of Kitty’s transport by $75 each way. She weights nine pounds – less than most new born infants and the cost is now $200, the same price charged for an additional 50-pound suitcase. When informed of this, I noted that as a Premium Executive member who was flying business class (thank goodness for the miles I’ve accumulated), I was entitled to check three suitcases and checked only one. The people behind the check-in counter looked embarrassed. But it wasn’t their rule. I know many people wish animals would be banned from flying in airline cabins. Some people feel the same way about young children and badly behaved adults. Others are allergic to certain fragrances and the list goes on. Still, $200 for a cat who demands nothing and sleeps during the entire flight is more than steep. Is this nickel and diming making me feel charitable about flying United? After all, foreign carriers don’t charge coach passengers for a mini-bottle of wine. No, not in the least. Sure, all of the US airlines are suffering and hoping for government subsidies. But cutting back on fuel before the flight and scalping passengers for bringing pets are petty and pretty annoying. Am I being unreasonable? What would your reaction have been had you been on this flight? Can anyone calculate how much this unscheduled stop cost United? Do you think I’m wrong about being (more than) annoyed over transporting the feline member of my family? Many Expats are faced with the same dilemma when it comes to their four-legged ‘off-spring.’ Have any Bonjour Paris readers had the same experience? © Paris New Media, LLC [email protected]