Travel Weekly Blog

It might sound goofy, but the story that Frontier Airlines is increasing its antler fee to $100 is indicative of the fee mania that is sweeping passenger aviation as fuel prices and a wobbly global economy put airlines under pressure. (Spot: Jaunted.)

The fees argument needs little retreading: passengers hate paying more for services they consider standard, but airlines argue that by 'unpackaging' prices they are allowing customers to opt out of paying for services they may not need.

This is logical enough, but comes unstuck in practice: unpackaging implies removing the cost of a service from the baseline price and making it optional, not adding it and making it optional. Customers see the distinction very clearly, and the attempt at sleight-of-hand only makes them angrier.

They also don't like it when the extra service they pay for fails to materialise. The Trading Standards Authority isn't keen either, and recently warned easyJet and Ryanair that failure to deliver priority boarding to those who have paid for it verges on fraud.

Anyway, apparently Frontier is not the first airline to charge a specific antlers fee - a spokeswoman told Forbes that it is common for passengers to check them in during hunting season.

I would love - love - to see a pair of antlers at the airport. Photos and stories of oddities on the baggage carousel will always be welcome at TW Blog...

Nathan Midgley, web producer