Airlines Price Things Exit Ways Charge Add Ons Seat

When the price of "gasoline" (fuel) goes up, airlines try to find creative ways to make more money. One of the main ways airlines have used in recent years is to unbundle services that were once included in the price of an airline ticket. "To bundle" is to take several or many things and "to fasten" (tie; fix) them together. For example, behind your desk may be a "bunch of" (many) computer and other "cords" (long piece of material that connects a machine to a power source) that need to be bundled together.

It's not surprising that the airlines have decided to "go this route" (follow this plan). The "profit margin" (difference between how much something costs a company and how much they charge a customer for it) for "add-ons" (things added to the original item or service) is about 80%. Between 2009 and 2011, "revenues" or profits on add-ons went up 96% and some airlines get 10% to 30% of their revenues from add-ons "alone" (by itself).

Here is a list of just a few things that airlines are unbundling from the price of an airline ticket, as of 2011:

- Exit rows: In the past, if you were a "savvy" (knowledgeable) traveler, you know to arrive early at the airport to get a seat in the exit row, where the emergency doors are located. Those seats "tend to" (typically; usually) have more leg room. Now, you have to pay for an exit row seat and the price is different depending on how desirable the location.

- Clean pillow and blanket: If you're worried about "germs" (the very small things that can cause illness), you can pay for a "sanitized" (specially cleaned) pillow and blanket.

- Meals: If you're on a longer flight, meals used to be included, but not anymore. Airlines are now offering more options and sometimes better food, but you'll have to pay.

- Baggage: It used to be that each passenger was allowed one "checked bag" (carried under the airplane, in storage) and one "carry-on" (carried onto the airplane). Now most airlines charge for each checked bag.