I think I’ve got a pretty high tolerance for airline ridiculousness, but this? This will make me pick another carrier over US Airways, on general principle:
Charging for checked luggage and legroom isn’t enough for some carriers — starting today, coach passengers flying aboard US Airways Inc. 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.
If you seriously need to charge $2 for a 30 cent bottle of water, raise your fares. Or get out of the ()@*#@ing business all together. And just to show you what brilliant people they’ve got working there, lets add in this quote:
If a desperately thirsty passenger does forget a few extra dollars, US Airways spokesman Morgan Durrant says flight attendants will likely “err on the side of the customer†and give him or her water. After all, the airline wouldn’t want its customers drinking tap water from the aircraft bathroom. That water is safe to drink, just not very palatable, according to Durrant.
“Frankly, that’s just not classy,†he says.
Seriously. Just pack it in and send everyone home US Airways.
Joy
Yeah, I *bet* they will err on the side of the passenger. Can you imagine the trouble they’d be in if an ailing or pregnant passenger didn’t have the fee for the water, and passed out or worse? You’d think at least the water should be free.