Pay toilets in the sky? Don't laugh!

Pay toilets in the sky? Don't laugh!
Posted September 18, 2007 at 9:30 am ET by Tim Winship

http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/u...8&u=SL4F6B4DC5

In recent years, a new expression has gained currency with airline
executives: ancillary revenue. That's the extra money the airlines
generate from the sale of services related to the core product.

Of course the airlines' core product is a moving target. Once, the
price of a ticket included unlimited phone conversations with a
reservations agent, a paper ticket, an in-flight meal, a movie on
longer flights, and so on. Today those are considered ancillary
services, which cost extra, and generate ancillary revenue for the
airlines.

To use another bit of current insider terminology, the airlines have
been "unbundling" their services, cutting back on what used to be
considered basic services and recategorizing them as additional-cost
extras.

Of course to consumers, the operative expression is nickel-and-diming.
Rather than buying a ticket which covers every aspect of the air
portion of their trip, they're required to pick and choose from an a-
la-carte menu of service options, paying extra for everything over and
above the seat itself.

And according to a report by consulting company IdeaWorks, that menu
of optional services, and the additional fees associated with them,
will continue to grow.

In IdeaWorks' poll of more than 140 airline managers, 63 percent of
the respondents indicated that unbundling is becoming more prevalent.
And none reported that airlines were moving in the opposite direction:
adding back amenities to the basic price of a ticket.

It remains to be seen just how far the airlines will go in shedding
services included in the price of a ticket. Might there come a day,
for example, when the lavatories are converted into pay toilets? As
absurd as that might sound, it's worth remembering that the notion of
paying extra for the privilege of calling an airline's reservations
center would have been unthinkable a few short years ago.

Ablang wrote:
Pay toilets in the sky? Don't laugh!
Posted September 18, 2007 at 9:30 am ET by Tim Winship

http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/u...8&u=SL4F6B4DC5

In recent years, a new expression has gained currency with airline
executives: ancillary revenue. That's the extra money the airlines
generate from the sale of services related to the core product.

Of course the airlines' core product is a moving target. Once, the
price of a ticket included unlimited phone conversations with a
reservations agent, a paper ticket, an in-flight meal, a movie on
longer flights, and so on. Today those are considered ancillary
services, which cost extra, and generate ancillary revenue for the
airlines.

What airlines charge for movies?


It remains to be seen just how far the airlines will go in shedding
services included in the price of a ticket. Might there come a day,
for example, when the lavatories are converted into pay toilets? As
absurd as that might sound,

It still sounds absurd.

The article gave no evidence of any airline management even hinting at
doing this.

On Tue, 18 Sep 2007 21:38:09 -0700, mtravel wrote:

Ablang wrote:
Pay toilets in the sky? Don't laugh!
Posted September 18, 2007 at 9:30 am ET by Tim Winship

http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/u...8&u=SL4F6B4DC5

In recent years, a new expression has gained currency with airline
executives: ancillary revenue. That's the extra money the airlines
generate from the sale of services related to the core product.

Of course the airlines' core product is a moving target. Once, the
price of a ticket included unlimited phone conversations with a
reservations agent, a paper ticket, an in-flight meal, a movie on
longer flights, and so on. Today those are considered ancillary
services, which cost extra, and generate ancillary revenue for the
airlines.

What airlines charge for movies?


It remains to be seen just how far the airlines will go in shedding
services included in the price of a ticket. Might there come a day,
for example, when the lavatories are converted into pay toilets? As
absurd as that might sound,

It still sounds absurd.

The article gave no evidence of any airline management even hinting at
doing this.

It's true, I saw it on TV. The guy had to insert a coin to use his
tray, lower the window shade, use overhead storage, .........

On Sep 19, 12:38 am, mtravel wrote:
Ablang wrote:
Pay toilets in the sky? Don't laugh!
Posted September 18, 2007 at 9:30 am ET by Tim Winship

http://www.smartertravel.com/blogs/u...nship/pay-toil...

In recent years, a new expression has gained currency with airline
executives: ancillary revenue. That's the extra money the airlines
generate from the sale of services related to the core product.

Of course the airlines' core product is a moving target. Once, the
price of a ticket included unlimited phone conversations with a
reservations agent, a paper ticket, an in-flight meal, a movie on
longer flights, and so on. Today those are considered ancillary
services, which cost extra, and generate ancillary revenue for the
airlines.

What airlines charge for movies?

Constantly moving target. Domestics occasionally charge
"head set rentals" or similar charges. Can't remember who
has done what lately.

It remains to be seen just how far the airlines will go in shedding
services included in the price of a ticket. Might there come a day,
for example, when the lavatories are converted into pay toilets? As
absurd as that might sound,

It still sounds absurd.

The pay toliet thing is a bit silly, even in places that have pay
toliets, governments usually require "free" ones somewhere.

The article gave no evidence of any airline management even hinting at
doing this.

Nah, but you can imagine Ryan air has considered it. I'd be
surprised though if it was "workable". At most I think you'd
hand out "tokens" to passengers and make additional ones
available at a charge.

What airlines charge for movies?

Delta.

The 757 that I was on in August had MOD on the lcd screens at each seat in
coach. There were a couple of 'free' selections and several MOD movies.
There was a 'card swipe' for payment if you made a MOD selection.

No charge for headsets.

On Sep 18, 11:38 pm, mtravel wrote:

What airlines charge for movies?

Frontier. Sat. TV on the back of every seat. Free on the ground, but
when the wheels leave the ground, it's a credit card swipe @ $5.00 a
pop.

Ablang wrote:
services included in the price of a ticket. Might there come a day,
for example, when the lavatories are converted into pay toilets? As
absurd as that might sound, it's worth remembering that the notion of
paying extra for the privilege of calling an airline's reservations
center would have been unthinkable a few short years ago.

On the other hand, there was no reasonable self-service alternative up until
a few years ago. These days with the web, for most people it's more
convenient to book for themselves online (as well as having a lower
transaction cost for the airline).

--
Nate Edel http://www.cubiclehermit.com/

"What's the use of yearning for Elysian Fields when you know you can't get
'em, and would only let 'em out on building leases if you had 'em?" (WSG)

mtravel wrote:
Of course the airlines' core product is a moving target. Once, the
price of a ticket included unlimited phone conversations with a
reservations agent, a paper ticket, an in-flight meal, a movie on
longer flights, and so on. Today those are considered ancillary
services, which cost extra, and generate ancillary revenue for the
airlines.

What airlines charge for movies?

Indeed, it seems like they've moved AWAY from the "entertainment" charges
they had a few years ago (in say, the mid-90s.) Granted, they'll sell you
headphones if you're on a domestic flight and didn't bring your own, but
there's no pretense of collecting them back or trying to charge you for the
movie if you brought your own.

--
Nate Edel http://www.cubiclehermit.com/

"What's the use of yearning for Elysian Fields when you know you can't get
'em, and would only let 'em out on building leases if you had 'em?" (WSG)

Per rieker:
The 757 that I was on in August had MOD on the lcd screens at each seat in
coach. There were a couple of 'free' selections and several MOD movies.
There was a 'card swipe' for payment if you made a MOD selection.

No charge for headsets.

I think they're missing an obvious money-maker.

When I flew back from SFO couple years back, once the "Fasten
Seatbelt" light came on, they dropped down the TV screens and
started playing commercials with sound (*loud* sound) coming out
of the speakers.

Went on for a good ten minutes.

A little more pre-flight coffee on that day, and I could be in
federal prison right now.

Just equip each TV with a dollar bill reader like on vending
machines, and charge a buck for every ten minutes of silence.
--
PeteCresswell

"(PeteCresswell)" wrote:
A little more pre-flight coffee on that day, and I could
be in federal prison right now.

ROFLMAO. That is the funniest line that I've read on
usenet in years.

Unfortunately, using such a line might get one hauled off
by the feds.