Take note if you fly United

UAL Corp.'s United Airlines said Sunday that it was raising the fee it charges passengers to change tickets to $150 from $100 in an effort to combat high fuel costs.

It also added a Saturday-night-stay requirement on all tickets on which it competes head to head with the other older traditional carriers. A spokeswoman said the requirement will affect 65% of the markets it serves. That will have the most impact on business travelers, who typically don't want to spend a Saturday night in their destination.

U.S. airlines have announced a number of fare increases, fuel surcharges and fee rises recently as they battle higher fuel prices and a weakening economy.

UAL said April 10 that it has raised fares in the U.S. and Canada by as much as $30 per round trip. United Airlines has raised fares from $4 to $30 per round trip depending on mileage and competition from low-cost carriers.

"In an environment where fuel prices are averaging almost $120 a barrel, we are facing a cost increase of more than $2 billion this year, and that is more than twice the operating earnings we generated last year," the spokeswoman said in a statement Sunday.

"Making these changes is another example of how we need to continue to adapt to today's tough market realities and find new ways to generate revenue."

 

It's too bad, but don't blame them on the Saturday night-stuff.

But the change fee boost is bloody merciless.

 

My kids are going to grow up in a world where they never see anything outside of a 35-mile radius from their hometown. The days of easy travel are gone.

 

poor kids. Only place they'll ever know is Hooterville, Pixley and if they're lucky, the County Seat.

 

Two who are fine with flying united (NSFW)

http://www.popasmoke.com/px/patches/flyunited.jpg

 

If I had my druthers, I'd drive ... but when I fly ... this is why I fly Southwest.

 

Good thing I've already booked my $1,672 ticket, which, amazingly, is $667 more than the fare for the exact same bleeping itinerary I flew two months ago.

Fortunately, only first and last legs are on United.

 

Fuck every United executive with a rusty fucking chainsaw.