Here at the brand-spanking-new headquarters of Network World, Inc., the sign in this photo is an office wag’s idea of a joke this morning: My employer is not charging us $2 for water; in fact, we’re among the pampered portion of the workforce that gets free coffee.
However, if you happen to be flying on US Airways today, the joke’s on you.
The Wall Street Journal’s Nikki Waller writes:
Charging for checked luggage and legroom isn’t enough for some carriers – starting today, coach passengers flying aboard US Airways must pay for a drink of water.
This morning, US Airways began charging fliers $2 for bottled water and sodas and $1 for teas and coffees. First class members, trans-Atlantic passengers and a select group of others are exempt from the extra fees.
Of course, they are exempt: Makes perfect sense to spare the rich folk from having to pay an extra buck or two, while sticking it yet again to the hoi polloi.
As the Journal story made the rounds by e-mail here this morning, my co-workers expressed varying degrees of dismay … but mostly resignation. After all, air passenger abuse has been trending this way for some time now.
Less accepting, however, was an employee of US Airways, who according to a reader of the Journal piece let the paying customers know of his dissatisfaction:
I am now on a US Airways jet heading from Las Vegas to Dallas – but just before boarding, the gate agent made a sarcastic little speech.
He wasn’t upset with us – he was upset with his airline – and he spoke in bitter tones: “It is my very special duty to inform you that today is inauguration day’ at US Airways and what we are inaugurating is our new onboard beverage policy. You now have to pay $2 for that coke, $2 for water.”
One can only imagine the joy of being a US Airways flight attendant today.
But I suppose we should look at the bright side: These latest fees should cut down on lines for the lavatories.
(Update: Bloomberg report indicates that the squeaky traveler may get free coffee:“We’re trained to keep order on an airplane and defuse confrontation,” Mike Flores, president of US Airways’ AFA chapter, said today in an interview. “If it takes giving a free beverage to somebody to do that, so be it. I expect there will be flight attendants who just give everything away.” )
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