Oil prices aren’t quite up to last summer’s sky-high levels, but at more than $70 a barrel, they’re far from cheap. And with the world’s airlines in financial straits — the global airline industry is now expected to lose $9 billion this year — carriers are finding new, creative methods to save money by conserving fuel.
According to an Associated Press report, American Airlines is set to launch a trans-Atlantic flight on June 11 that will utilize a variety of fuel-saving techniques, including ultra-efficient, GPS-guided navigation; ascending and descending gradually instead of in steps; and taxiing on one engine rather than two.
Other airlines are conserving fuel by trimming weight wherever they can. Japan Airlines, for example, is reducing the size of its eating utensils. Northwest Airlines has cut spoons altogether from utensil packs when they’re not necessary for the in-flight meal. Other carriers are eliminating in-flight magazines, putting duty-free catalogs on seat-back televisions and reducing the weight of equipment such as beverage carts.
Which items do you think should be eliminated from airplane cabins to conserve fuel? And since every bit of weight makes flying more expensive, do you think it’s justifiable for carriers to charge fees for baggage, or should airlines absorb those costs? Share your thoughts with other travelers in the comments section.
I think they should consider eliminating carry on luggage. Some of the carry-on bags passangers bring on board is way to much extra weight.
ULTIMATELY IT WILL COME DOWN TO WEUGHT OF PASSENGER AND BAGGAGE.THERE WILL BE A STANDARD FARE AND THEN WEIGHT SURCHARGE. IF YOU ARE HEAVY AND HAVE LOTS OF BAGGAGE EXPECT TO PAY EXTRA FOR FUEL AND SPACE. IF THINGS KEEP GOING THE WAY IT IS EXPECT IT IN LESS THAN 5 YEARS
1. take away all the alcoholic beverages. this is not a party plane. 2. if a passenger is too large to fit in one seat and it takes away room from another passenger then the larger passenger should be required to sit either isle or window and pay for the middle seat as well. 3. want to save weight? get rid of some of the small narrow seats in the plane. give the passengers some room. it is like sitting in a sardine can now as it is. this would eliminate the weight of the seats and additional passengers and save on fuel.
