I’m writing this on the final leg of my three flight journey from Honolulu International to Kansas City. In between I stopped in Phoenix, where I grabbed a soda, and Dallas/Fort Worth, where I got a Personal Pan Pizza (Supreme) from a Pizza Hut Express and another soda. I didn’t have anything to eat or drink on any of the planes that was provided by the airlines except this one where I’m having the “free” (it’s not free, I paid a lot for this flight!) Diet Pepsi; in fact, due to the time of my flight (leaving at 10:55 p.m. Honolulu time), I can’t recall if they offered anything to eat or drink on the first plane, and I know they were selling food on the second.

I did have a couple of cheese sticks and a breakfast bar, however. And I do have a few bags of almonds packed in my backpack that’s in the overhead compartment.

Despite all of that, my tab for purchased items on the way out came to $9.68. That’s a lot considering what I had! The airlines and the airports know they have a captive audience when you can’t go elsewhere, so they charge a lot more than the going rate. Still, travelers have a choice: we can buy or we can not buy, even though our choice isn’t as free as it could be because, let’s face it–we all have to eat. If we choose to buy, it reinforces the pricing for the restaurants and vendors; if we choose not to, maybe supply and demand goes into effect and there will be a lowering of prices.

4 Responses to “Fly Like an Eagle: My Not-So-Frugal Trip to Kansas City”

  1. Sophiaon 24 Jul 2008 at 9:36 pm

    LÄRABARs and a SIGG bottle.

    While LÄRABARs aren’t technically cheap (anywhere from $1-$2 per, depending on where you get them), they do their job as far as filling you up and providing the necessary nutrition.

    Combine that with water from the fountain (free!), and you’ll still be spending less than $9.68, health benefits included.

    That is, if you can ever give up the Diet Pepsi. =P

  2. Zombie Moneyon 26 Jul 2008 at 3:38 pm

    oh yeh airport food is $$$ :(

    At the rate the U.S. airlines are losing money I wouldn’t be surprised if the airlines start charging for pepsi’s in the future.

  3. NtJSon 29 Jul 2008 at 10:09 am

    Ug! Forget the food, flying into KCI makes my stomach turn. I hate that airport.

  4. Amy @ The Q Familyon 31 Jul 2008 at 1:23 pm

    Yup. The price will even go higher with the fuel cost goes up. And since you can’t get any liquid pass the security, you have no choice but to buy.. Suck all around.

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