US Airways Charges $7 for Pillow and Blanket

(MoneyWatch)  Airline passengers have been paying fees for a second bag, water, early boarding, curbside service and WiFi. Soon, we joked, we'll have to pay a fee for a pillow and blanket. Well, Arizona-based US Airways has gone and done it, making it officially the stingiest airline in the business. US Airways is now charging its coach passengers $7 for a pillow and blanket to use in flight.

It's not so bad. At least the passenger will get to take it with him or her as soon as the flight is over and perhaps keep it in a backpack to use again on the flight home. Classy! (Speaking of classy, first-class and business class will not have to pay the $7 fee.)

It's an interesting predicament since U.S. Airways reported more than a 6 percent drop in mainline passenger traffic last month. I'm sure this latest announcement will cause customers to run to the ticket counter.

US Airways joined the fee-based bandwagon last year, but this new development is -- so far -- the first in the industry. The neck pillow and blanket, called the Power-Nap Sack, will be sold in a kit, along with earplugs and eyeshades. Free pillows and blankets will no longer be available. The official US Airways press release says the package would retail for $20, so it's a bargain. An additional carrot is a $10 coupon for SkyMall.

I'm sure US Airways has to see this is a PR debacle, or perhaps the company believes that passengers have been charged so many fees -- one more won't be noticed. But I have a feeling many will notice this new move and not in the positively couched terms of its press release.