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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  • 6 Posted by frenchycp on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:03PM EDT Report Abuse

    $2 for a can of soda?!!! This is ridiculous! US airways probably bought it for 10 cents a can and they want to sell it at $2? First they want to charge for any checked bags and now for soft drinks? Well if they want to lose customers and go bankrupt again, they're in the right direction!

  • 7 Posted by magpagbst on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:03PM EDT Report Abuse

    i never understood these fees . . . all they do is tick-off the public . . . the airlines should simply absorb these fees into the overall ticket price . . . say . . . raise the ticket price ten or twenty bucks . . . this rational is easier to swallow than charging two bucks for a coke . . . i remember checking out of a hotel once . . . they added a two dollar telephone fee (i never used the phone) . . . i told them i would pay for everything BUT the phone fee and if they had an issue, there lawyer should contact me . . . they removed the fee and i haven't heard from their lawyer . . .

  • 8 Posted by ssusen@snet.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:39PM EDT Report Abuse

    Poor business practice. If the airlines had just added the baggage and drink fee into the cost of the flight, it would have caused a lot less animosity by passengers. When one is already paying hundreds for a ticket, $17 more added in would probably not be noticed.

  • 9 Posted by annielyzer on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    maybe they just all need to be government owned like singapore airlines... if you haven't flown it, well, nothing else even comes close and free drinks & service is included in the price. airlines know that they have made it convenient for families to be further away from each other and bringing the business world together... they are finally seeing that their price war with each other isn't helping them. i forsee the impact from internet videoconferencing... expect to see an increase in sign-ups for webmessaging services.

  • 10 Posted by annielyzer on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    Maybe the airlines just all need to be government owned like singapore airlines... if you haven't flown it, well, nothing else even comes close and free drinks & service is included in the price. Airlines know that they have made it convenient for families to be further away from each other and bringing the business world together... now forget seeing each other in person with this convenience. They are finally seeing that their price war with each other isn't helping them. I forsee the impact from internet videoconferencing... expect to see an increase in sign-ups for webmessaging services.

  • 11 Posted by tlloyd1501 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:12PM EDT Report Abuse

    I work at ohare and see 8th grade going to Starbucks all the time.

  • 12 Posted by tan_alec on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    Wow. Just great. And you mentioned the toilet fees idea, too. Maybe, in the future, they'll charge us for reading their inflight magazines or something like that.

  • 13 Posted by vivalavix on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    This isn't new, Spirit Airlines has been doing this for months.

  • 14 Posted by neilfresh on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:35PM EDT Report Abuse

    Why don't they just raise fares? Am I missing something??????

  • 15 Posted by cabruhn1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:16PM EDT Report Abuse

    first of all if it is a short flight can you not go without a drink??????for a couple hours.why dont you complain to your goverment instead of the airlines.everyone is affected with the fuel prices...i dont see anyone putting a cap on it..so how are people in business suppose to earn a living or even try to survive....maybe you need to look at the people that are causing this.....

  • 16 Posted by jayson_60120 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:29PM EDT Report Abuse

    lol, I think this is freekin halarious. It's funny to me to watch these big companies struggle and fall. To think they are hurting soooo bad they have to get an extra two bucks off of anyone who gets thirsty. I hope US Airways goes belly up.

  • 17 Posted by mcjamespi on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:13PM EDT Report Abuse

    Why don't they just charge more for the darn airline ticket and give it a rest???? Do they think this is what the public wants? I'd pay twice as much for my ticket if they'd give me more space and actually fly the planes out on time.

  • 18 Posted by jimmyfromthewall on Sat Jun 21, 2008 2:55PM EDT Report Abuse

    yeah...thats why i fly Southwest Airlines. The cheapest and the best.

  • 19 Posted by dparkdon07 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:47PM EDT Report Abuse

    $15-20 for the first checked bag...what is the fee to get it routed to your correct destination? Its nice that Washington "feels our pain;" how about stopping the madness and giving us some viable alternatives to the ridiculous spiraling cost of transportation (and I hate it when people say Europeans pay $8-10 a gallon for gas; this is not France, this is the U.S.A.!)!

  • 20 Posted by chasscman on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:22PM EDT Report Abuse

    I will just stop flying and stay home and relax, instead of flying somewhere to go relax.

  • 21 Posted by bata4689 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:02PM EDT Report Abuse

    "Can pay toilets be far behind?" - Don't give them any ideas!

  • 22 Posted by roweda2002 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:52PM EDT Report Abuse

    Barf bag charges coming soon. $4 per hurl!!

  • 23 Posted by michaelmcc31 on Sat Jun 21, 2008 2:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    Beyond the pay toilets..... charge for motion sickness bags!!!

  • 24 Posted by dir4 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:43PM EDT Report Abuse

    "disastrous economic climate" - really?

  • 25 Posted by ssbk20042004 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    This is what third world airlines used to do 30 years ago. I suppose it is our turn now. How about our airlines start buying used airplanes to make profit.

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