Posted by Milos Sugovic
Last month I joked about making sure you bring a pillow and blanket the next time you fly or else the airline will charge your nap time. It turns out there’s truth in every joke.
US Airways, which reported net losses in late October, is already charging its customers for coffee and soda. Now, they’re considering selling pillows and blankets for $7, while the wide array of viruses and bacteria are complimentary.
In fact, US Airways told the WSJ that it washes blankets every five days. Compared to ATA Airlines, which does so every 30 days, and American Airlines, which removes only soiled or damaged blankets, that’s pristine. When it comes to cabin cleanliness, according to a survey by J.D. Power, U.S. Airways was ranked as one of the worst North American airlines.
Air travel is a dirty business, and cleanliness has taken a back seat to financial survival. Since the industry’s financial downturn after 2001, U.S. jets have been maximizing their filth factor. Given that they’re flying at near full-capacity, and that passengers bring their own meals to avoid surcharges, there’s an increasing need for deep-cleaning. But on most jets it happens once a month at best, and there’s nothing more comforting than finding a McDonald’s ketchup packet stuck to your flight safety manual.
Many airlines find creative ways of doing dumb business these days. Instead of offering the luxury experience they were once good at, they’re behaving like a monopoly of the skies. But on the ground they’re losing customers to other modes of transportation and quality competitors.
I won’t even speculate on what the next charge will be. I will note, however, that a nap fee isn’t all that bad -- there’s a positive externality. The $7 blanket and pillow combo charge will deter use. And that means less people will walk out of a plane sick.
I do wonder, however, if some of that cash will go towards pillow and blanket cleaning. For some reason, I highly doubt it.
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