The major network airlines have been busy in recent weeks devising ways to increase revenue from fares without calling what they're doing a fare increase. OK, technically it's not be an increase in base fares. Let's just call it by a more accurate name: It's a COST increase (forgive me for shouting), and for a growing number of air travelers it could be a substantial one.

First, the surcharges applied only to peak travel days around the upcoming holidays. Well, heck, it's always been more expensive to travel on those days, with the lowest-priced tickets selling out months in advance, so you have to expect higher costs. But a $50 surcharge on Feb. 8 on Delta, Northwest and United (and with others likely to join the party) ? The only thing one expert, Tom Parsons of bestfares.com, can fathom is that it's the day after the Super Bowl. Huhhh? You mean airplane seats are really precious that day, no matter what teams are playing and fans traveling?

For a full list of when the surcharges apply look at Parsons' Web site here.  US Airways took a simple path to increasing customers' costs by saying it would surcharge every ticket all the time by 5 percent starting in May. See the post below for a little more on that.   

Is it any wonder that many travelers have a sort of low-grade anger all the time about airlines? US Airways says it's adding a 5 percent surcharge to all tickets after May 8. Also, other carriers increased their surcharges for certain days this spriung.

Remember, these are not a fare increase, they're a surcharge, but can you tell the difference? We know that with the big capacity cuts, it's going to cost more to fly next spring and summer. I guess we should be grateful that now we know that in addition to higher fares that come with fewer available seats, we have a predictable "surcharge" to add to the cost. Read more here.

UPDATE: There is additional information available on this story. Turns out the passenger apparently wasn't drunk, as we suggested earlier. Read more from Rick Seaney's travel blog, found here.

Here's what we posted earlier: This article deserves a little attention in a PHL-centric travel blog for several reasons:

It's about a potential security issue involving a flight from PHL by the airport's largest carrier. It's a chance to point out that the formal name of the airline, and accepted media style, is US Airways, no periods.

It's another chance to wonder why many articles posted online generate comments that are inane or come from apparently bitter people who hate Philadelphia, the airport or life in general. See for yourself at this link.  

UPDATE: Pasted below is a longer formal reply from American given to the Dallas Morning News, which first called out NBC's irresponsible report over the weekend.

Read this post in conjunction with my column today: In case you saw Saturday's Today Show on NBC, don't worry about American's flight attendants going on strike. The long process described in the column that takes place before airline employees legally can walk off the job is still going on. So read the full story from one of American's hometown newspapers here.

American's statement from a spokeswoman can be found here.

Today's Winging It column reports on a recent proposed change in the voting procedures for airline employees seeking union representation that is likely to favor unions. Read more about the vote for the change by the National Mediation Board (what's that?) and the debate it has set off at this link.

Airlines that charge fees for so-called ancillary services rather than raise air fares may be depriving taxpayers of revenue from the federal excise tax on tickets. At the request of two powerful members of Congress, the issue is being studied by investigators for the Government Accountability Office. Read more about the issue and the probe in a New York Times story.

From travel writer Chris Elliott's blog, here's an entry calling for a campaign to get all hotels to offer free Wi-Fi service, thinking of it in same way that plumbing and electricity are considered basic services included in the rate when you rent a room. Read more here.