US Airways to charge $2 for soda, juice, water

Mon Jun 16, 2008 12:41PM EDT

See Comments (934)

Better get used to carrying lots of singles next time you fly. US Airways is now terminating free drink service. No, not free mini bottles of Jim Beam and cheap Chardonnay, we're talking about all drinks, including soda, fruit juice, coffee, and bottled water, which will soon cost $2 each. Presumably tap water, which may or may not be contaminated with fecal coliform bacteria, will still be free.

The move is the latest way airlines are attempting to fight rapidly rising fuel prices in a disastrous economic climate. In recent months, the extra fees have come fast and furious. First came extra charges for your second piece of luggage, then came a charge for your first bag. That's not to mention extra fees for choosing your own seat, curbside check-in, booking using frequent flier miles, and the cost of the Santa Fe chicken sandwich.

The beverage fee is even more annoying than most, since you can no longer bring liquids through security at airports. You are really at the mercy of buying them on the plane, or at least buying them once you're in the terminal (which is doubtlessly no cheaper than on the plane). Alcoholic drinks will also go from $5 to $7. That's a lot for a can of Budweiser.

The fee goes into effect August 18, leaving plenty of time for the airlines to come up with other fees to nickel and dime their way to profitability. Can pay toilets be far behind?

Comments on US Airways to charge $2 for soda, juice, water

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  • 46 Posted by ce242114 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:20PM EDT Report Abuse

    What is truly amnoying is we have always PAID for these services. It has been built into the ticket price from the time the Wright Bros. first took off. Now to claim poverty and say, oh we don't want to raise ticket prices so now we have to charge for bags and drinks is a joke.

  • 47 Posted by rhino4572003 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    OK this is getting way out of hand. If it was intended to drive people away. there on the right track. Personaly I take the train these days. Were paying for the train anyway arn't we ?

  • 48 Posted by bobshelinfl on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    We as consumers have rarely had a problem with paying $3 or $5 for a soft drink and $7 or $8 for alcoholic drink at a restaurant or club, why should we now on the airplane. Buy a large bottle of water before the flight and make it last. Airlines are glorified busses in the sky anyway. The glamour of flying is gone, it is strictly a fast mode of transporation, let's use it for that. It still beats the alternative of driving or walking. Flying in my book is still a value at twice the price. How else are you going to get coast to coast in 5 hours for $500.

  • 49 Posted by budricknewton on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:15PM EDT Report Abuse

    I wont Fly US Air anymore. Someone needs to tell them that being the industry leader in hidden costs is going to kill them

  • 51 Posted by shauny57 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:17PM EDT Report Abuse

    Hey everyone, Airlines are just trying to survive, which they are not...We have been spoiled with cheap flight for years...The problem is not the airlines but opec and oil companies...Everyone blames everybody else and does nothing about the root of the problem? oil is raising the price of everything from food to postal service and everything in-between!! Stop picking on the airlines and do something more constructive and try figuring out how to bring a hault to oil gouging...All of us do nothing but complain instead of coming together and bringing an end to the situation..thats the problem with this country and world, nobody does anything but ----- and give their opinion instead of acting and resolving...

  • 52 Posted by leegeekhood on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    I bring my own food and beverages on the flight anyway. I do not trust the fecal encrusted ice provided by the airlines and the unsanitary methods in which their food/beverages are handled. I pay the $2 for my big bottled water at the airport and make my own snacks. No food poisoning or extra costs for me. When I get to my destination, I can eat or drink what I want. I pack light, one carry-on, because it is cheaper to purchase supplies and do laundry at my destination. Airline travel, what a hassle. But I guess, we have the choice to either use air travel or to use other methods or transportation. Sadly complaining falls on deaf ears and does nothing to resolve the situation.

  • 53 Posted by odie+t+artimus on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:43PM EDT Report Abuse

    why don't they just raise the darn price of the fare, and forget the nickel and dime telephone bill type fees. It is just a stupid excuse to say "we didnt raise the fare". I for one, used to travel extensively by air. I am truely glad I am retiring so I don't have to go through the nickel and dime fiasco that is today's airline. It does not suprise me though that USless Airways is the first to do this, they are so inept I stopped flying them the third time they lost my luggage. Airlines Take a Hint.. Everyone Hates the phone company because of the nickel and dime charges... just raise your fare 50 bucks and stop the nonsense.

  • 54 Posted by jayjoans on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    Until they charge for the barfbags in the seat pocket in front of me, I'll have a place to deposit my excrement for free... :)

  • 55 Posted by de3fan0428 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:39PM EDT Report Abuse

    This is so stupid, do we not pay enough for the darn ticket? When is the government going to step in and say enough is enough? What are the airlines going too do if everyone stops flying and starts driving? Sure it takes longer but they are being crazy. Why do they think so many is going bankrupt? How about the $200,000 pilots get and the hostess, you know they make close to $75,000 if not more. It needs to stop before they all go under when no one flies.

  • 56 Posted by n_kunkler on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    One of the last flights I was on charged $5 for head phones. I paid $3 for a bottle of water in the airport.

  • 58 Posted by thomaswoodfin on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:08PM EDT Report Abuse

    The airlines fought for market share after deregulation. Not competitive profitability but market share of fliers. Now that profitability has become the issue, the airlines (except Southwest) have discovered that their business models are not viable. So they're going to penalize us (their respective 'market shares') for their decades of short-sightedness in business planning. The CEO of American even declared that deregulation was a bad idea and that the airline industry should once again be regulated. I guess he assumes that we the taxpayers are going to reward their poor financial approach and bail them out...

  • 59 Posted by lindab-jewels@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 6:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    Maybe if the CEOwere to forgo his seven figure bonus on top of his seven or eight figure salary the people who pay this salary (the ticket buyers) might still be able to get thier drinks without having to pay extra for them.

  • 60 Posted by hiqa6 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:19PM EDT Report Abuse

    we get nickeled and quartered because we allow it to happen. remember, we are the consumer. we are the ones spending the money.. we as consumers need to form a world wide alliance where we boycott certain services and items on specific days. by doing so, we will deter the steady level of profit from these companies and they will be forced to slash prices in order to stay competitive.

  • 61 Posted by punkin432 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:22PM EDT Report Abuse

    Do you think most people are going to fly with all these extra charges? I sure wouldn't even consider it. I think this will come back to bite them in the butt eventually. How will they stay in business if people quit flying except the business people that really don't have a choice. I know I sure wouldn't even consider it with all the extra charges.

  • 62 Posted by standardjason on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:39PM EDT Report Abuse

    I can't understand this... I'm an American that has been working overseas for the past 4 years and I will do almost everything in my power not to be nickled and dimed by USA airlines...this includes paying $100+ not to feel like "F*&*% you pay me" is being said when I request a basic service (e.g. bevarge, snack etc). I thought America was known for being cutting edge and progressive, not petty and and cheap...maybe I should start looking to become a citizen of some other country? I walk with a limp now from defending America and it sickens me to see how we are becoming a second rate country. Get it together, j

  • 63 Posted by bri5537 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:13PM EDT Report Abuse

    Although I don't realish the thought of paying a couple of bucks for a bottle of water, I understand the predicament that the carriers are in. Oil at $135-$140 a barrel wa never factored into their business plans. The net of it is: Would you rather pay additional (presumably optional) fees, or would you rather see the airline industry disintegrate and make long distance travel unavailable to most Americans? And no I don't work in the industry... Just my 2 cents worth.

  • 64 Posted by continental_2001 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    airlines are trying everything they can to survive that's all if you guy are not looking what is going on sorry but just thing went you go to the gas station and put gas into your car and will see the different.

  • 65 Posted by krispykreme82603 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:53PM EDT Report Abuse

    Airlines will start doing what the movie theaters do to make more money off of us, no bringing your own food onto the plane, even if it was bought in the terminal. Either eat before you board or fork over some cash and get a crappy sandwich from the airline. This is why I prefer Southwest. They may not have meals available on flights, but you don't have to spend a penny from the time you enter your home airport to the time you leave your destination airport.

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