Protest the $2 drinks and other fees
Jun 13, 2008, 8:42 am
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: HKY
Programs: DL-DM MM & RW, UAL- PS, Marriott Lifetime PLT, SPG-PLT, Hilton-Gold
Posts: 4,468
Protest the $2 drinks and other fees
All the threads on the new changes have started my creative juices flowing as to the way to best protest the new fees.
Pay for them with pennies. Stock up on rolls and rolls of pennies.
Before boarding, un-roll the pennies and put them in one of your tidy little TSA baggies. When buying a bottle of water of coffee, slowly count out the 200 pennies. They have to take them, they are legal tender. Repeat when you ask for a refill on your coffee.
Or when checking a bag, repent the above. It will take a while to count out 1,500 hundred pennies.
You could call it "pennies for Doug" or the "bean counter count......"
Whatchathink?
Pay for them with pennies. Stock up on rolls and rolls of pennies.
Before boarding, un-roll the pennies and put them in one of your tidy little TSA baggies. When buying a bottle of water of coffee, slowly count out the 200 pennies. They have to take them, they are legal tender. Repeat when you ask for a refill on your coffee.
Or when checking a bag, repent the above. It will take a while to count out 1,500 hundred pennies.
You could call it "pennies for Doug" or the "bean counter count......"
Whatchathink?
Jun 13, 2008, 9:00 am
#2
Join Date: Nov 1999
Location: if it's Thursday, this must be Belgium
Programs: UA 1K MM
Posts: 6,484
yeah, that'll show them. Exactly how many more US tickets will buy until you've "shown them" and taught them a lesson?
Jun 13, 2008, 9:04 am
#3
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: A lovely little town filled with cows
Programs: US2, Hyatt Diamond, SPG Plat, Hilton Gold
Posts: 3,284
All the threads on the new changes have started my creative juices flowing as to the way to best protest the new fees.
Pay for them with pennies. Stock up on rolls and rolls of pennies.
Before boarding, un-roll the pennies and put them in one of your tidy little TSA baggies. When buying a bottle of water of coffee, slowly count out the 200 pennies. They have to take them, they are legal tender. Repeat when you ask for a refill on your coffee.
Or when checking a bag, repent the above. It will take a while to count out 1,500 hundred pennies.
You could call it "pennies for Doug" or the "bean counter count......"
Whatchathink?
Pay for them with pennies. Stock up on rolls and rolls of pennies.
Before boarding, un-roll the pennies and put them in one of your tidy little TSA baggies. When buying a bottle of water of coffee, slowly count out the 200 pennies. They have to take them, they are legal tender. Repeat when you ask for a refill on your coffee.
Or when checking a bag, repent the above. It will take a while to count out 1,500 hundred pennies.
You could call it "pennies for Doug" or the "bean counter count......"
Whatchathink?
If you want to protest the policy changes in a more effective manner - just don't fly US, or don't pay the add-on fees.
That said, I love the idea and the "Pennies for Doug" line... ^
Jun 13, 2008, 9:18 am
#4
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2005
Programs: Continental Gold Elite, United Premier Executive
Posts: 6,766
Customers have no more effective protest than voting with their wallets.
Jun 13, 2008, 9:23 am
#5
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: Chick-Fil-A Red, Wawa, Red Cross blood donor
Posts: 4,824
If you get enough fliers to do this, the extra weight of the pennies seems like it would have a (minimal) impact on full consumption as well
Jun 13, 2008, 9:24 am
#6
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: DL Silver, UA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Silver, IHG Plat, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,695
I plan on never spending any money on add-ons. I will BYO-everything if I need to.
Jun 13, 2008, 9:25 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: MKE
Programs: AA Exec Platinum, SPG Platinum / Ambassador / Lifetime Gold, Avis FIRST
Posts: 3,293
In a former life I'd be up in arms about these changes.
At this point, though I believe US is now leading in the race to the bottom, I'm having a hard time getting upset. You can't deny the reality of $135 oil.
At this point, though I believe US is now leading in the race to the bottom, I'm having a hard time getting upset. You can't deny the reality of $135 oil.
Jun 13, 2008, 9:27 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: San Francisco Bay Area
Programs: DL Silver, UA Silver, Marriott Lifetime Silver, IHG Plat, Hilton Silver
Posts: 5,695
A better solution to the fuel prices would be rational fares, not add-ons for every little thing.
I believe US is leading the race to the bottom. In fact, they appear to be there already.
I believe US is leading the race to the bottom. In fact, they appear to be there already.
Jun 13, 2008, 9:31 am
#9
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: PIT
Programs: Marriott Silver, Priority Club Platinum, Hilton Gold, Airline Peon (United, Delta, Southwest)
Posts: 335
The airlines want your nickels and dimes so give them to them!
^It is time for the consumer to speak out about all of this nickel and dimeing. Instead of paying for these fees at US, UL, AA, etc. with pennies though; I suggest that we pay for them with nickels and dimes. They are easier to carry and would make the same point but also in a symbolic way!
If we could get a media person or a talk show host to push the idea I think it would catch on.
If we could get a media person or a talk show host to push the idea I think it would catch on.
Jun 13, 2008, 9:33 am
#10
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: AUS - Formerly MSP, IAD/DCA, SYD, CBR, BNE, JNB
Programs: QF & NW Clubs. Will never buy another ticket on UA or US.
Posts: 1,100
They don't have to take pennies if they haven't given you the drink yet (legal tender is legal for settling debts but can be refused for running them up).
I agree that it is probably not the best protest since you will get other pax annoyed etc.
I think a better protest would be to simply refuse to buy - even if it means paying more for a bottle of something inside the airport.
If you want to go the weird currency route you could use either $1 coins or $2 bills. The coins are probably better as they will be a pain for the airline to bank etc. $2 Bills would be a visible way to protest if everyone made it public and let the press know etc.
Obviously the best protest is for everyone to simply stop flying US. And when you book on another airline (especially if you are an elite or business client of US) send a letter / email to US with a summary of the flights you booked on the other airline because you refuse to fly US under these new poorly thought out rules.
Oh - and everyone who has a US credit card might want to either cancel it - both banks have plenty of other airline cards to choose from. That will very quickly reduce the income US is getting from the banks when they pre-buy the miles. Failing that, at least stop using the cards. Oh, and of course, make sure you redeem tickets on a partner (if that is ever possible) instead of on US.
I agree that it is probably not the best protest since you will get other pax annoyed etc.
I think a better protest would be to simply refuse to buy - even if it means paying more for a bottle of something inside the airport.
If you want to go the weird currency route you could use either $1 coins or $2 bills. The coins are probably better as they will be a pain for the airline to bank etc. $2 Bills would be a visible way to protest if everyone made it public and let the press know etc.
Obviously the best protest is for everyone to simply stop flying US. And when you book on another airline (especially if you are an elite or business client of US) send a letter / email to US with a summary of the flights you booked on the other airline because you refuse to fly US under these new poorly thought out rules.
Oh - and everyone who has a US credit card might want to either cancel it - both banks have plenty of other airline cards to choose from. That will very quickly reduce the income US is getting from the banks when they pre-buy the miles. Failing that, at least stop using the cards. Oh, and of course, make sure you redeem tickets on a partner (if that is ever possible) instead of on US.
Jun 13, 2008, 9:35 am
#11
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Dallas, TX, AA 3MM EXP, WN
Posts: 1,808
How about mailing them your WN drink coupon books with a note can I buy the poors smucks left a drink on me.
I have drawers full of unused books
I have drawers full of unused books
Jun 13, 2008, 9:42 am
#12
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: AUS - Formerly MSP, IAD/DCA, SYD, CBR, BNE, JNB
Programs: QF & NW Clubs. Will never buy another ticket on UA or US.
Posts: 1,100
^It is time for the consumer to speak out about all of this nickel and dimeing. Instead of paying for these fees at US, UL, AA, etc. with pennies though; I suggest that we pay for them with nickels and dimes. They are easier to carry and would make the same point but also in a symbolic way!
If we could get a media person or a talk show host to push the idea I think it would catch on.
If we could get a media person or a talk show host to push the idea I think it would catch on.
Although I still think it's better to simply fly someone else and send US the details as a protest.
Also - for the record, US has by far the most drastic changes. The checked luggage thing that UA and AA have is annoying but the award fees, drinks charges, and elite bonus removals show the US is WAY worse than everyone else - even by the very low standards we now find in the USA.
Jun 13, 2008, 10:49 am
#13
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: HH Gold, AA Gold
Posts: 10,458
The problem is that these suggestions really penalize the line employees, not the management. It is all about returning to rational pricing. I believe that many of the posters on this board are not old enough to remember the prices that we used to pay. It's very simple: the average fare must exceed the cost of doing business.
We have asked the employees to take pay cut after pay cut to fund our hunger for low, low fares. It's really not fair that we are not willing to pay reasonable fares for travel. While it may mean fewer trips per year, fuel prices are astronomical right now.
We have asked the employees to take pay cut after pay cut to fund our hunger for low, low fares. It's really not fair that we are not willing to pay reasonable fares for travel. While it may mean fewer trips per year, fuel prices are astronomical right now.
Jun 13, 2008, 10:51 am
#14
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Virginia
Posts: 1,558
All the threads on the new changes have started my creative juices flowing as to the way to best protest the new fees.
Pay for them with pennies. Stock up on rolls and rolls of pennies.
Before boarding, un-roll the pennies and put them in one of your tidy little TSA baggies. When buying a bottle of water of coffee, slowly count out the 200 pennies. They have to take them, they are legal tender. Repeat when you ask for a refill on your coffee.
Or when checking a bag, repent the above. It will take a while to count out 1,500 hundred pennies.
You could call it "pennies for Doug" or the "bean counter count......"
Whatchathink?
Pay for them with pennies. Stock up on rolls and rolls of pennies.
Before boarding, un-roll the pennies and put them in one of your tidy little TSA baggies. When buying a bottle of water of coffee, slowly count out the 200 pennies. They have to take them, they are legal tender. Repeat when you ask for a refill on your coffee.
Or when checking a bag, repent the above. It will take a while to count out 1,500 hundred pennies.
You could call it "pennies for Doug" or the "bean counter count......"
Whatchathink?
I think they should just raise all of the fares and stop nickel and diming everything to death, but that is just my opinion and what do I know about management? I am just a stupid little penny counter.
BTW, I really agree with the opinion that walking and voting with your wallet is the best retaliation and will be the best way to get your point across.
Jun 13, 2008, 10:53 am
#15
In memoriam
Join Date: Mar 2000
Location: Seattle WA
Programs: Kimpton IC, Hyatt Diamond, Gold Marriott, Lifetime Platinum Starwood
Posts: 8,665
I'm with others - just stop flying USAirways. That drop in the absolute bottom line is what will make the difference. Most routes that US flies have competitors who are flying the same routing. Fax in your ticket receipt from the other airline to HQ; that is what will make a difference.
I'm with others though - love the tagline of pennies
I'm with others though - love the tagline of pennies