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Comments (18)
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Save/ShareAmerican Airlines is hiking its first checked bag fee to $25, starting Feb. 1. Surprisingly, there's no savings if you pay advance (when you buy your ticket online) as other airlines offer.
United, Delta/Northwest, Continental, and US Airways have all hiked their fees for checked baggage. They all offer a couple of dollars off the fee if you pay it at the time you buy your ticket online.
Southwest is the last airline to have no charge to check your first or second bag.
JetBlue doesn't charge for your first bag, but charges $30 for your second.
AirTran's the cheapest of the airlines charging fees: Only $15 for your first bag.
Spirit's the next cheapest, at $19 for your first bag.
A few Budget Travel readers have offered interesting perspectives on the baggage fee hikes:
M Berry writes:
The thing that frustrates me even more than the baggage fee itself, is the lack of enforcement by ticket and gate agents on the airlines that charge a fee.It frustrates me when I see travelers that make it past the ticket agents and the gate agents with their oversized bag. They then get said oversized bag onto the plane and it doesn't fit in the bins, or the bins are full. What is the airline's response? To check their bag for free as a "courtesy."
The "courtesy" that should have been performed was the gate agent should have told that customer that they are bringing a bag that exceeds carry on sizes and that they must check their bag and pay for it. No freebies. If the gate agents would enforce the baggage rules, the congestion in the aisles would stop and the airline would increase their on-time % and make the flying experience much more enjoyable.
Dale chimes in:
I've worked on the other side of the counter for a airline. Now, I am an elite flyer. If you fly enough, as little as 25,000 miles a year, you can be an elite flyer also and the fees are eliminated. The airline industry has never been a profitable industry and it never will be. But they need and will get close. Whatever you bring on board uses fuel. The more weight on the plane, the more fuel it uses. I for one, think that they shouldn't have the cheaper ticket prices and just include $100 worth of baggage for everyone. Essentially, that's what your paying.
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Baggage Fee Chart
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The solution for the airlines as far as charging for bags is simple. Any bag that goes on the plane should be charged a fee. Whether it goes on with you or gets checked. That's the only way to stop this nonsense of people who show up with a suitcase, a computer bag and an oversized "purse". The airlines could easily sell vouchers online, $10 per bag/sack/purse/computer/whatever. Even better, charge by the pound like they do on helicopter tours.
Posted By Patrice Stevens on January 19, 2010, 1:09 PM
why don't they charge for carryon instead of checked. the traffic flow in security and on the plane would be a lot better.
Posted By Toby on January 19, 2010, 1:22 PM
It ticks me off the airlines are nickle and diming us for everything they can possibly think of to tack an extra fee onto. Charge a fee for the ticket that includes a resonable amount of baggage. A cheaper flight that tacks on fees for baggage is not a cheaper flight.
Posted By Jackie on January 19, 2010, 2:32 PM
Earlier this month, on a United Airlines flight from Dulles to London, a checked bag cost $25 but folks were allowed one carry on and a personal bag.
On the return ticket, London to Dulles, folks were allowed one carry on and there was no charge for checked bags.
I also saw lots of people getting on the plane with two and three bags...the same United flight I was told "one carry on...period."
There seemed to be no rhyme nor reason but I did arrive at the airport about four hours early and the latecomers were...latecomers. Perhaps, airline personnel were simply overwhelmed...?
Posted By Sandra on January 19, 2010, 3:16 PM
I tend to agree that charging for carry-on rather than checked would help with the traffic flow on-board. They have really exacerbated the carry-on situation with the fees for checked bags. However, until they get the "lost/delayed" luggage problems fixed, I will carry on the maximum I am allowed - though mine are still considerably smaller than other bags I see rolling on.
Posted By Karen on January 19, 2010, 4:51 PM
but a cheaper flight that tacks on fees for baggage IS a cheaper flight for people who don't check baggage.
if they started charging for carryons AND checked luggage, i would seriously wear the same thing every day of my trip so as not to pay extra.
Posted By orchid on January 21, 2010, 11:00 AM
I just booked flights on Southwest precisely
because of the lack of additional fees and baggage charges. With the carry-on restrictions and security issues, you're almost compelled to check one bag, especially for a multi-day trip. I agree that they should consider spreading it over the base ticket price instead of all the games.
Posted By Linda on January 21, 2010, 2:19 PM
I think it is absurd to charge additional fees for bags. Who reasonably expects a traveller to go without luggage? Perhaps the airlines should charge for bags in excess of the carry-on and one checked, but who would actually travel to Europe without bags? Kind of like charging for the use of the restroom on a long flight...
Posted By grace on January 21, 2010, 5:17 PM
Amazing how Southwest made such a profit during the 4th quarter without charging for the first or second bag . . .
Posted By luann on January 23, 2010, 11:27 PM
Airlines should take heed of traveler's disappointment with baggage fees. Even tho economy class is the least profitable for the company, we who travel economy ... EXPECT economy. We don't usually travel without baggage, especially skiers. Give us the break we expect when we travel economy. The lack of transparency about cost of a ticket is most deceptive. Please clean up your act, airlines!
Posted By marsha on January 24, 2010, 7:03 AM
my husband and i just returned from Hawaii. We paid
over $240 for our checked luggage. we traveled between three islands and the fees ranged from $10
to $20 per checked bag. I now understand why people carry-on such large bags.
Posted By phyllis on January 25, 2010, 4:33 PM
I'm so tired of being whiplashed between TSA and the airlines. TSA considers baggageless travel an indicator of being a terrorist--just as airlines decide to foster baggageless travel.
If I could figure out how to swim home to visit my family in Europe I would. Definitely no more US air travel for me. I'm looking at car/bus/train options now.
Posted By Ducklady on January 28, 2010, 9:33 AM
another benefit of shipped baggage is delivery to door, even if door is on 5th floor nyc walk up! i shipped when visiting nyc friend and it was great. could pack anything, didn't need to worry about tsa search of checked luggage and skipped lines at airport at both ends of flight.
Posted By Joan McKniff on January 28, 2010, 10:23 AM
We have traveled for years with just one carry on bag each (and, YES, we stay within size/weight limits and play fair) - even the kids (when they were still home)were allowed one carry on each.
We started this before the days of checked bag fees - we did it to avoid wasted time at the airport and to simplify our life.
It is amazing how we can simplify our lives by taking LESS on vacation. We shop for clothing pieces that are easy to pack (don't wrinkle), classic (we avoid fads) and make sure everything we take can 'go with' something else we take.
Travelsmith and other makers offer nice, easy travel pieces. It can be done and it takes so much hassle out of traveling.
We smile when we carry our little bag into a lovely resort and see everyone else with 5 huge bags:0) The savings in bag fees can pay for an excursion and we just prefer to travel LIGHT.
"My two cents worth"
Posted By CMM on January 28, 2010, 12:17 PM
Totally Agree with M. Berry on NO enforcement by the Gate Agents on oversize baggage trying to be stuffed in the Aircraft Bins. Just returned from California via Delta / Northwest Airlines and it was absolutely ridiculous on size of baggage being brought on to plane and all to get by the Checked Baggage Charge. Complained to the Delta Customer Service but they really did not seem to care? Just a standard email sent to my office. Wife and I have decided were done flying, No More. G.Drury.
Posted By Gordon Drury on February 25, 2010, 1:40 PM
Why are you guys all complaining? Instead of complaining, do something about it. Its your money, your the customer, so boycott these airlines. Who says you have to pay these fees. There is a better, cheaper airline out there that actually cares about its customers. And stop using Travelocity, Orbitz, Kayak and all that crap, cause Southwest's prices don't show up on their sites. I'm greatful for that too.
Thats what I have done. I will only fly Southwest from here on out. Not only do they have no baggage fees, but the don't charge to change your flight (every other airline charges near $100), don't charge for your seat, allow you to possibly get a exit row seat if your diligent enough (check in 24 hours in advance), plus they put their employees in their commercials, and have the cheapest alcohol prices $4, where most are $5.
Far and away the best company out there. If your sick and tired of being screwed over, and looked at like a giant $, then your the person that needs to do something, not the airlines. You know when the fees will go down??? That will happen when they lose customers to another airline, and thats the only way. Complaining and then putting up with it changes nothing.
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