Topic: The things that make me sad, angry, and upset

[blur911]

Skype, now owned by Microsoft just informed me that my subscription cost would increase from $30.48 a year to $9.50 a month!!

The really annoying thing is that they informed my by cancelling my subscription today. 

The really, really annoying thing is last week they sent me an email saying my payment failed, probably because my registered credit card had expired.  I checked on Skype and yup, credit card had expired, updated it and paid them.   

So now I have over $40 in credit on Skype and no subscription.

Thanks Microsoft

When did it go up?  I have "Unlimited US and Canada" and it's still billing me only $2.99 a month.

Looks like you can still get what you had:  http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16832416633

I guess it just gets cancelled when it comes time for your annual renewal, so your subscription will probably expire whenever that is.

I may just go prepaid Skype for a while and see how much that is, I think it's 2.4 cents/min in North America.

[Ex-airbalancer]

Are you mostly calling friends ? If that is the case , if they have the messager app, the voice calling feature is Excellant.

[Fobroader]

I though Skype was free.  I use it only with my family..... never paid

I'm in the same boat....my mom uses it to talk to friends and family in Romania and shes never paid a cent. 

[OliverD]

It costs money if you call actual phone numbers with it I believe.

[Fobroader]

It costs money if you call actual phone numbers with it I believe.

I....I don't get it, call actual phone numbers as opposed to calling Skype? Confused I am, never used Skype.

[blur911]

It costs money if you call actual phone numbers with it I believe.

I....I don't get it, call actual phone numbers as opposed to calling Skype? Confused I am, never used Skype.

Ok I see.  Skype can be used as a phone too.  I've only used it as video calls.

Yup, when we're at home we used Skype for all our outgoing phone calls.   Our cell plan is only unlimited after 5pm, so daytime calls or all calls to the US were Skype and it worked great for about $3 or $4 a month for years.  Then Microsoft bought Skype.

Skype to skype calls are still free, it only costs if you are calling an actual phone number.

[safristi]

...weiners R ready..............

[Solstice2006]

Damn Airlines!! Never flown to US.  Going to Vegas tomorrow.  $25 each way for 1 checked bag per adult.  So have to add an extra $100 to the trip.  When I fly international, I am allowed 1 bag for free.  Greedy a$$holes!

[OliverD]

Damn Airlines!! Never flown to US.  Going to Vegas tomorrow.  $25 each way for 1 checked bag per adult.  So have to add an extra $100 to the trip.  When I fly international, I am allowed 1 bag for free.  Greedy a$$holes!

The alternative is the ticket price goes up, with no breaks for people who don't check their baggage.

[Ex-airbalancer]

Damn Airlines!! Never flown to US.  Going to Vegas tomorrow.  $25 each way for 1 checked bag per adult.  So have to add an extra $100 to the trip.  When I fly international, I am allowed 1 bag for free.  Greedy a$$holes!

The alternative is the ticket price goes up, with no breaks for people who don't check their baggage.

It been that way for years
My wife is a vet , she get 3 check bags for free on AC and Westjet  in North America

[Solstice2006]

Damn Airlines!! Never flown to US.  Going to Vegas tomorrow.  $25 each way for 1 checked bag per adult.  So have to add an extra $100 to the trip.  When I fly international, I am allowed 1 bag for free.  Greedy a$$holes!

The alternative is the ticket price goes up, with no breaks for people who don't check their baggage.

I don't buy it.  It's just another cash grab.  Like using your debit at another bank, and getting a service charge of $2.50.  BS! 

The amount they charge, even national flights.  It's like distance has less impact on the ticket price.  I know there are airport taxes, and some are higher than others. 

For example.  Cheapest flight to Vegas from Toronto for Air Canada, is $628 round trip, no bags, 5 hour flight.  But from Toronto to London, I get a checked bag for free.  Comes to $694.  7 hour flight. 

Why should international get checked bags for free only? 

[Ex-airbalancer]

Damn Airlines!! Never flown to US.  Going to Vegas tomorrow.  $25 each way for 1 checked bag per adult.  So have to add an extra $100 to the trip.  When I fly international, I am allowed 1 bag for free.  Greedy a$$holes!

The alternative is the ticket price goes up, with no breaks for people who don't check their baggage.

I don't buy it.  It's just another cash grab.  Like using your debit at another bank, and getting a service charge of $2.50.  BS! 

The amount they charge, even national flights.  It's like distance has less impact on the ticket price.  I know there are airport taxes, and some are higher than others. 

For example.  Cheapest flight to Vegas from Toronto for Air Canada, is $628 round trip, no bags, 5 hour flight.  But from Toronto to London, I get a checked bag for free.  Comes to $694.  7 hour flight. 

Why should international get checked bags for free only?

Because that is life
Why is   premium Ecomany seats to Dabai an extra $298 for 13 hour flight , but it is extra $398 from Rome to Toronto for a 9 hour flight

[Solstice2006]

Don't care it's been years.  I can still b!tch about it!

[OliverD]

Damn Airlines!! Never flown to US.  Going to Vegas tomorrow.  $25 each way for 1 checked bag per adult.  So have to add an extra $100 to the trip.  When I fly international, I am allowed 1 bag for free.  Greedy a$$holes!

The alternative is the ticket price goes up, with no breaks for people who don't check their baggage.

I don't buy it.  It's just another cash grab.  Like using your debit at another bank, and getting a service charge of $2.50.  BS! 

The amount they charge, even national flights.  It's like distance has less impact on the ticket price.  I know there are airport taxes, and some are higher than others. 

For example.  Cheapest flight to Vegas from Toronto for Air Canada, is $628 round trip, no bags, 5 hour flight.  But from Toronto to London, I get a checked bag for free.  Comes to $694.  7 hour flight. 

Why should international get checked bags for free only?

International flights typically have a higher level of service, for whatever reasons. For example, complimentary meals and booze.

Distance is just one of many factors in the pricing. Obviously, it's all super complex.

[ArticSteve]

Before with WJ you could go online and reserve the extra leg room seats for nothing.  Then they'd charge and extra 20.  Now I think it's up to $60.  So with 1 bag each, the better seats which are no hell it's another $200 each way.  So flight to Vegas for 2 for example is 1K plus another $400.  As a topper the TVs are now gone.  I really liked those.   

Regardless, WestJet is a very accommodating on cancellations and Travel Bank credits.  Good company.

[CanuckS2K]

Damn Airlines!! Never flown to US.  Going to Vegas tomorrow.  $25 each way for 1 checked bag per adult.  So have to add an extra $100 to the trip.  When I fly international, I am allowed 1 bag for free.  Greedy a$$holes!

The alternative is the ticket price goes up, with no breaks for people who don't check their baggage.

I don't buy it.  It's just another cash grab.  Like using your debit at another bank, and getting a service charge of $2.50.  BS! 

The amount they charge, even national flights.  It's like distance has less impact on the ticket price.  I know there are airport taxes, and some are higher than others. 

For example.  Cheapest flight to Vegas from Toronto for Air Canada, is $628 round trip, no bags, 5 hour flight.  But from Toronto to London, I get a checked bag for free.  Comes to $694.  7 hour flight. 

Why should international get checked bags for free only?

I agree Scott, it's nothing more than a cash grab.......which p!sses me off as well.  Another cash grab.........overweight fees.  My wife's suit case was overweight coming back from Portugal this year and was charged $105 for the overweight fee.  I was under my limit and we could of transferred stuff from one suitcase from to another, but we didn't have the time as we had to catch our connecting flight.  Fvcking stupid if you ask me.......why if one is over and the other under, why the hell does it matter?  Because cash grab.   

[tpl]

Damn Airlines!! Never flown to US.  Going to Vegas tomorrow.  $25 each way for 1 checked bag per adult.  So have to add an extra $100 to the trip.  When I fly international, I am allowed 1 bag for free.  Greedy a$$holes!

The alternative is the ticket price goes up, with no breaks for people who don't check their baggage.

I don't buy it.  It's just another cash grab.  Like using your debit at another bank, and getting a service charge of $2.50.  BS! 

The amount they charge, even national flights.  It's like distance has less impact on the ticket price.  I know there are airport taxes, and some are higher than others. 

For example.  Cheapest flight to Vegas from Toronto for Air Canada, is $628 round trip, no bags, 5 hour flight.  But from Toronto to London, I get a checked bag for free.  Comes to $694.  7 hour flight. 

Why should international get checked bags for free only?

I agree Scott, it's nothing more than a cash grab.......which p!sses me off as well.  Another cash grab.........overweight fees.  My wife's suit case was overweight coming back from Portugal this year and was charged $105 for the overweight fee.  I was under my limit and we could of transferred stuff from one suitcase from to another, but we didn't have the time as we had to catch our connecting flight.  Fvcking stupid if you ask me.......why if one is over and the other under, why the hell does it matter?  Because cash grab.   

Surely the BIGGEST cash grab is GST on an INTERNATIONAL flight to Vegas but not on an INTERNATIONAL flight to London.   Funny that you are more likely to bump into armed border guards in Vegas who speak a foreign language  than you are in the UK.   The argument about US Canada air travel being 'integrated' is pure crap. If we did not allow US border agents in Canadian airports  it would still be just flying to the same ( 6 I think) US airports with customs controls...not very integrated imho.

I wonder... do you pay GST on a flight to St Pierre et Miquelon ?  I would think not...but you might pay French TVA on a flight from St P et M

[Triple Bob]

Every time I see Snowman's name when I click on this thread... 

Same here.

Had Heather and Seb over for drinks last night, was good to catch up, we had some laughs.  I felt rough this morning...

[OliverD]

I agree Scott, it's nothing more than a cash grab.......which p!sses me off as well.  Another cash grab.........overweight fees.  My wife's suit case was overweight coming back from Portugal this year and was charged $105 for the overweight fee.  I was under my limit and we could of transferred stuff from one suitcase from to another, but we didn't have the time as we had to catch our connecting flight.  Fvcking stupid if you ask me.......why if one is over and the other under, why the hell does it matter?  Because cash grab.   

We did the transfer from one suitcase to another once. Not much fun.

But regarding baggage fees in general, that's revenue that the airline would get one way or another, whether it's itemized and charged only to those who use it or whether it's spread across all tickets. For domestic (and US) flights I'd bet that a significant percentage of people don't check bags. Giving people a further incentive not to check bags reduces costs for the airlines, and removes pressure to raise prices.

[Ex-airbalancer]

Damn Airlines!! Never flown to US.  Going to Vegas tomorrow.  $25 each way for 1 checked bag per adult.  So have to add an extra $100 to the trip.  When I fly international, I am allowed 1 bag for free.  Greedy a$$holes!

The alternative is the ticket price goes up, with no breaks for people who don't check their baggage.

I don't buy it.  It's just another cash grab.  Like using your debit at another bank, and getting a service charge of $2.50.  BS! 

The amount they charge, even national flights.  It's like distance has less impact on the ticket price.  I know there are airport taxes, and some are higher than others. 

For example.  Cheapest flight to Vegas from Toronto for Air Canada, is $628 round trip, no bags, 5 hour flight.  But from Toronto to London, I get a checked bag for free.  Comes to $694.  7 hour flight. 

Why should international get checked bags for free only?

I agree Scott, it's nothing more than a cash grab.......which p!sses me off as well.  Another cash grab.........overweight fees.  My wife's suit case was overweight coming back from Portugal this year and was charged $105 for the overweight fee.  I was under my limit and we could of transferred stuff from one suitcase from to another, but we didn't have the time as we had to catch our connecting flight.  Fvcking stupid if you ask me.......why if one is over and the other under, why the hell does it matter?  Because cash grab.   

Surely the BIGGEST cash grab is GST on an INTERNATIONAL flight to Vegas but not on an INTERNATIONAL flight to London.   Funny that you are more likely to bump into armed border guards in Vegas who speak a foreign language  than you are in the UK.   The argument about US Canada air travel being 'integrated' is pure crap. If we did not allow US border agents in Canadian airports  it would still be just flying to the same ( 6 I think) US airports with customs controls...not very integrated imho.

I wonder... do you pay GST on a flight to St Pierre et Miquelon ?  I would think not...but you might pay French TVA on a flight from St P et M

There is a bit of gst on international flight
Here the breakout of flight Toronto Dubai, Rome to Toronto