For Airlines, Fees Become Lifelines

My future depends on the need for airlines to still be around no matter what kinds of costs there are and the article For Airlines, Fees Become Lifelines by Esme E. Deprez justifies why they charge for what they do.


After graduation, I plan to join my fiance in Guam. He is in the Navy and plans on being a lifer. Being with someone in the military will put a damper on many things. One of those being the amount of travel we'll be able to do. A lot of people when they settle down usually settle somewhere close to where they grew up and are therefore near their family members. Thus, travel is much easier and cheaper for them. Traveling around in the military though will take you sometimes very far away from anyone in your family. Making time and money to try to visit them is going to be an even bigger hassle now with the airlines. Not only are booking flights sometimes pricey, but with all those charges they tack on it is getting even more expensive.


Even though those extra prices are an inconvenience, people are going to have to understand just why the airlines have to do that. The price of just an airline ticket alone isn't helping them to fit all the costs of the airline. They must come up with some other form or revenue. Ancillary revenues - products and services they can unbundle from the fare and sell a la carte - are a great way to do that. If airlines didn't start to do this, at least one major airline would've fallen considering the recession we are in right now and there are not as many people traveling, especially by airplane. Most of the passengers on airplanes will have at least one suitcase to check in so that is an easy and for sure way the airlines know they can help with the revenue. That by it's self makes sense due to the rest of the economy especially with fuel prices. The heavier all the luggage is, the more fuel it will use. The extra costs from checked luggage will help pay for those fuel costs better and in turn maybe make people pack lighter and not even check any luggage thus saving them money but also saving an airplane from using more fuel which is much better for the environment.

There are some premium airlines that do not charge miscellaneous fees because they don't want tread in dangerous waters by nickel and diming their passengers when they pay a higher fare already for the service they expect on that particular airline. While others are taking note of what passengers like on particular flights at particular times of the day and recording that information and analyzing it like a grocery store would with their information they get from swiping your "preferred card". The airlines then can come up with something that is an add on that would compliment what particular passengers like thus producing a happy traveler and better revenues. For example, if a passenger likes to have a glass of wine on an evening flight, the airlines may ask if they'd like a cheese and fruit plate to go with it at an additional charge.

Airlines are always thinking of new ways they can increase their revenue. With an à la carte approach, fliers will no longer be subsidizing products or services they don't use. A passenger could book a flight that has a designated meal on it and if he didn't want it, then he'd be paying for it anyways. This will ultimately let passengers customize their flying experience to their liking. Airlines think of every aspect of your typical flight and try to design revenue making ideas. But the problem they face is knowing what is too much. Are we going to start seeing airlines making you swipe your credit card at the door if you have to use the bathroom while in flight? Most likely not any time soon. They have to think realistically with the economy and the people's tolerance level of how much is too much. But still be prepared to see more and more revenue making ideas popping up with many airlines.

A Chevrolet Camaro for the MBA set

In the article "A Chevrolet Camaro for the MBA set" by David Welch, it talks about the greatness of the Chevy Camaro. In the old generation Camaros, it was a cheap sports car geared toward the buzz cut and gold chains crowd. Nowadays, it appeals to a much broader audience. With all the new modifications and sophistication to meet the needs of today's drivers, it's no wonder it's still a popular car choice. Is it possible to up the sophistication level even more? Yes it is. General Motors is going to make the new Camaros look even snazzier. While it is more of a modern interpratation, you will still see hints from the Camaros of the past, making it the perfect style. While some may feel that the only style of Camaro will be the one they grew up with back in the day, clearly these new styles are a winner for they have sold many even in this dismal car market.

The Great Trust Offensive

In the article "The Great Trust Offensive" by David Kiley and Burt Helm, they talk about companies having to revamp their marketing in order to fix their image and continue to bring inconsumers. It talks about a commercial from AmEx trying to show they can also be helpful to mom and pop establishments. Companies realize that trust is the biggest importance to their consumers and if they can't trust what they are advertising, then they need to change a few things. The article goes on to talk about McDonald's and Ford as specific examples. McDonald's wants to shed their image that all their food is labeled as junk. They've even begun working with PETA who had praised McDonald's for its efforts in raising the bar in many areas with the animals that they use for their food items. McDonald's even shows consumers in detail by inviting them to view websites that show their animal suppliers at work. Ford has even made some changes in their type of advertising. The money they usually spend on vehicle discounts are going to more in depth advertising that will entice consumers with the great new features that are always competitive among other car companies. And the business they are doing because of it makes up for it because the consumers really trust that they are getting a quality car for their money. Overall, trust is going to always be a key goal for companies to instill into their consumers. But they still have to generate a great product that the consumers will believe in.

What I Want To Be When I Grow Up

I am in my senior year at Carthage going for my elementary education degree. I've known ever since I was in 4th grade I wanted to become a teacher and there was going to be nothing in my way to stop me. I needed to find the right college to fit my needs the best and Carthage did exactly that. I applied early during my senior year of high school and I was accepted. It was the only school I applied to. I've been working so hard over the past three years and I can't believe that in less than a year I'll finally be graduating college. At least I really need to graduate otherwise I'm going to have bigger problems and my whole plan will be ruined. I hope to be an amazing teacher. The kind of teacher that all the students like and want to have for their teacher.

Schools are going to be everywhere I go, so I just need to pick the right location that will suit me best. Unfortunately, I won't have much say in the matter. I got engaged right out of high school to a sailor who is currently stationed Guam since December 19, 2008. So where ever he goes, I will be going and the military doesn't give you many options. I knew what I was getting myself into by getting engaged to a man in the military but I was so in love with him, I couldn't picture being with anyone else but him. A couple months ago, I really realized that I needed to start making some concrete plans for what I wanted to do after graduation. And I've decided I want to go live with Ryan in Guam the rest of the time he's out there which is for roughly a year and a half until he comes back to the states and then we get married. There is a school on base over there as well as a day care center which I would like to get into. If certain things don't go the way I need them to, then my plans to go over there may be dim because there would be so many other things I would need like transportation (he only has a motorcycle right now but is looking at getting a car also), he needs to look for a place to live off base for us, a steady income to begin paying off my student loans and most importantly health insurance. It would be a horrible mistake to be without it especially in a totally different country.

Providing everything of that nature can work out, I know this is what I truly want. There will be schools for me anywhere I go in the world. But there is only one of him. He proposed in August 2006 and in October of that year he left to go to California and after a few visits here and there during the next three years, he finally left for Guam. I've been away from him for far too long and it is eating away at me more than I ever could have imagined. What I truly want out of my life is just to be happy with him and eventually a family, teaching anywhere and everywhere that our life takes us. The only other thing I really ask for is that Ryan and I are able to provide for our family in a way that will be comfortable without any struggle so I don't have to go through how my mom struggled raising me by herself.