TheChineseCockney

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Northwest cuts magazines to save money

In yet another effort to cut its non-labour costs, Northwest Airlines has stopped stocking Newsweek, Glamour and other magazines on its planes and in its passenger club lounges.

Cutting magazine subscriptions out of the budget will save the airline £310,000 ($565,000) in the coming year, said Northwest spokesman Kurt Ebenhoch.

World Traveler, Northwest's monthly in-house magazine, will still be available, reported Associated Press.

"Give me a break," said passenger Troy Feldpausch, who often travels on Northwest as a software training consultant. "This is unbelievable (and) ridiculous. I guess I'll just bring my own magazines."

Northwest, the nation's fourth-largest airline, lost £252 million ($458m) in the last quarter alone and has been struggling with high fuel costs and tough labour negotiations.

Last week, Northwest said that on June 9 it will drop complimentary pretzel snacks on all domestic flights.

Blunder

Terry Trippler, a Minneapolis-based travel analyst, said Northwest might be making a public relations blunder.

"There is absolutely a point where you can take too much away from the customers," Trippler said.

Northwest is also proposing £1.10 ($2) per-bag fee for skycap service. About 15% of Northwest passengers use the skycap baggage-check service where it is available. The skycap service handles about 4 million bags a year.

United Airlines has had success with its recent fee for skycap baggage checks in Seattle, so Northwest is running a trial fee in that city this month to see how passengers react.

Northwest will also try to assess its possible savings and the impact the fee has on baggage checks at self-service terminals and ticket counters. Historically, skycap baggage checks have been free, but it's customary to tip the baggage handlers.

"I don't think it will work," said Bobby De Pace, president of District 143 of the International Association of Machinists, which represents most Northwest ground workers. "People won't pay." If it does work, he said, it would cost skycaps their tips.