Flying the unfriendly and pricey skies

Recently, when I was flying from Amsterdam to New York and asked the flight __________ for white wine I was informed that complimentary wine hasn’t been served since 2001.

Then I realized that all the services, like entertainment or food, that I used to take __________ were now impossible to get without a credit card transaction.

However, apparently the changes have been introduced gradually and people got used to it. The reason for this was the constantly increasing price of __________ that left airline companies facing another do-or-die situation.

It started in American Airlines, where leadership team __________ to brainstorm solutions and an employee suggested the airline start charging for checked bags.

Other airlines soon followed and one of them stated: “This change enables us to continue offering customers competitive __________, which fits our overall strategy.”

The trend spread to airlines outside the US much more slowly.  For example Dutch KLM didn’t start charging for checked, even their frequent- __________ program members, until 2013.

It appears that airlines now hold a powerful tool, which enables them to change consumer behaviour and make consumers pack lighter and bring a __________ baggage.

After some time, financial analysts learned that these fees produce more revenue than the profit margin, because they are not being __________.

This business model had actually been standard for low-cost airlines. Initially, this fee revolution has mostly taken place on __________ flights.

Nevertheless, due to a lack of agreements between countries, even on intercontinental flights you have to pay __________. But the aviation industry is healthier now than it’s been in years and at the end, if the industry is healthy, the product will improve.