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<b>Letters:</b> Static airfare

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Business Standard New Delhi
Last Updated : Mar 07 2016 | 9:30 PM IST
Apropos "Airlines really don't want to give away first-class seats for free" (March 6), it is natural for airlines to not give away first-class seats for free, as they are meant for premium passengers willing to pay a higher price for privacy, privilege, comfort and ease of travel. What is surprising is that despite the cost savings to airlines from plummeting oil prices, airfares have hardly changed. The major input in the operation of an airline, which is fuel, has slid from $114 a barrel in mid-2014 to around $30 today. Airfare pricing schemes are what some call "price obfuscation".

These have proliferated over the past few years, adding to their profits. As airlines continue to pack planes and cut service, many are contending with cramped quarters, and disgruntled passengers and flight attendants. They have a whole new package of additional charges like carry-on bag fees, check-in bag fees, paying for choice of seats and when dealing with cancellation or postponement the change fees can be shocking. In the past, they were content on merely making a decent profit. But now, airlines are driven to extract every possible rupee they can get from every customer.

H N Ramakrishna Bengaluru

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First Published: Mar 07 2016 | 9:02 PM IST

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