American also has taken back the extra legroom it had given travelers as part of a major promotional campaign over the past four years touting "More Room Throughout Coach." The airline is adding 12,000 seats on its fleet of planes, decreasing average legroom, or pitch, from 34 inches to the standard 32 inches.
Meanwhile, as perks disappear, the airlines still struggle to boost revenue. Last week, Northwest Airlines tested travelers' tolerance for fare increases by boosting ticket prices $10 on round trips shorter than 1,000 miles and $20 on trips 1,000 miles or more. Other carriers, including Delta, United and American, matched Northwest, which may mean the first fare hike in several years could stick.
| _ Attention, Business Travelers _ E-mail Keith L. Alexander about your experiences, good and bad, at alexanderk@washpost.com or write to him at The Washington Post, 1150 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20071. Please include your name, address, and day and evening telephone numbers.
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Chris Anne Sanyer of Alexandria said airlines should scrap in-flight movies. "I don't know of anyone who books flights based on what old movie and TV reruns the airline is showing," she said.
With so many people carrying their own laptops, CD players and personal DVD players, she said, "why bother with an in-flight movie?" However, she said she does enjoy the satellite TV offered by budget carrier JetBlue Airways.
Michael C. Fogassey, a Cambridge, Mass.-based corporate travel manager, said airlines should get rid of first-class cabins on domestic routes.
"Eliminating first class would be a huge shock to many travelers, myself included, who are used to getting upgrades from our frequent-flier status. But if the airlines would produce a product like JetBlue or (Delta's one-class subsidiary) Song, frequent fliers would easily get over the lack of first-class seats," Fogassey said.
But some frequent fliers said airlines have gone far enough in cutting fares -- and perks along with them. Wilkie A. Wilson, a pharmacology professor at Duke University Medical Center in Durham, N.C., said that instead of focusing on low fares, the airlines should focus on customer service.
"I don't want lower fares. I would fly four times more than I do now if [airlines] were not literally such a pain," Wilson said.
Try Out a BlackBerry: If you're one of the few remaining business travelers who doesn't own a BlackBerry, here's your chance to try one out.
Three travel companies are handing out free BlackBerrys to customers so they can stay in touch with the office.
Avis car rental is passing out the older BlackBerry 6710 models, plus an $85 rebate for activation and service charges on all rentals through March 31.
Orbitz, the online travel company, is giving out the same model to customers who book a trip on its site through May 15 (or while supplies last.) With the Orbitz deal, customers must sign up for a one-year plan with BlackBerry for $30 a month, plus a $35 activation fee.
United Airlines is offering a free BlackBerry to travelers who book tickets of $250 or more by March 31 for travel by April 30. Customers have to sign up with T-Mobile. Depending on the service, travelers can get the 6230 model if they sign up for the $39.98 plan or the newer, 7230 version for $59.99.
Question of the Week: Some airlines use automated voice response systems. Some use foreign reservation agents. Some have cut so many of their telephone agents that customers often have to wait several minutes on the phone before they get a live person. Business Class wants to know which airline's toll-free reservation system is the most difficult to use and why? Which is the easiest? Send your thoughts to alexanderk@washpost.com. Please include your name and a daytime telephone number.
