US-based airlines to charge for checked bags

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by You Need a Thneed

When My wife, her sister, my (one years old - and thus non-paying) daughter and I flew down to LA/San Diego in May, we booked the flights directly on Air Canada's Website. We had 5 bags between the three paid tickets. Not a word was said anywhere when I booked, or when we flew down. Then we get to the airport in San Diego, and get to the United desk, they said we were going to have to pay $25 each for the extra two bags.

As I had booked the tickets before the policy even came into place, I politely said that there was no way that I was going to be paying an extra $50, as I purchased the tickets form Air Canada, and thus, I was subject to Air Canada rules. If they had a problem with that, they could go get their $50 from Air Canada.

They let me through.

It depends, were you flying on AC metal or United metal. If you booked with AC and it was on AC metal (ie AC jet) then you are in the right, if it was Untied metal then AC booking policies dont apply. The wonderful life of codeshares

United was likely doing what they were told if it was AC metal and since it was no loss financially to United they let you through.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by HotHotHeat

Funny how the healthiest US Airline (Southwest) doesn't have to charge any 'hidden' costs.

Why would it be funny that the most profitable US "Airline" doesnt charge hidden fees?

The reason for the fees is the other airlines lack of profitability.

[HotHotHeat]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Why would it be funny that the most profitable US "Airline" doesnt charge hidden fees?

The reason for the fees is the other airlines lack of profitability.

My point was that most airlines are horribly run companies. Sorry if that wasn't obvious.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

They wont increase a fee for those who have already paid. If you decide to bring an extra bag than that indicated then they will charge you - example you said you would bring one, now 2 etc - they might be able to get you for that.

This will be for new passengers mostly, the thinking is they already have negative press from introduction of bag fees, the amount of negative press now from increasing those fees is somewhat lessened.

They charge this fee at the gate. You don't pay it when you buy your ticket. When you buy your ticket, you have no idea of what your airline may decide to charge you the day you leave.

As a consumer, you get to pick your flight based on the lowest cost. But once you've committed to your non-refundable ticket, you are the mercy of the airline to decide what fees they may want to charge you on the day you leave.

www.kayak.com/airline-fees has all the US Airlines baggage fees... It even says when it was last updated by each airline.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by HotHotHeat

My point was that most airlines are horribly run companies. Sorry if that wasn't obvious.

It was obvious, its also obvious you think SWA is a profitable airline.

SWA hasnt been a profitable "airline" for some time. What they are - are a vastly profitable hedge fund that run a struggling airline.

There income from airline operations dont come close to covering the cost of running the buisness. What is profitable for the LUV group is their fuel hedge plays - especially heating oil.

Yes you can say all you want about other airlines should had the same hedging prior to September 11, but to compare airline profitability is not to compare financial bets, but to compare operational costs and profits.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

They charge this fee at the gate. You don't pay it when you buy your ticket. When you buy your ticket, you have no idea of what your airline may decide to charge you the day you leave.

As a consumer, you get to pick your flight based on the lowest cost. But once you've committed to your non-refundable ticket, you are the mercy of the airline to decide what fees they may want to charge you on the day you leave.

I will have to check into it, its possible I was getting confused with fuel surcharges. Also, you would be charged at the ticket counter, not the gate if thats how it worked.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by fotze

Plus they can change your routing or the day you leave or come back. What once was a direct flight may not be any more. I can't think of another industry that is even close to getting away with stuff tha airlines do.

Imagine, going to the gas pump, pre-paying for your gas and then they say. "AACtually we are running low on gas today so we have poured water in the tank to dilute it, we apologize for any inconveniences you may experience". Buying a chocolate bar "Oh sorry we didn't mention it but that is actually dog sheeit in the wrapper, here's a 5 cent off coupon so that you can buy more sheeit from us".

If the airlines ran the Flames:

You buy your Flames season tickets, then when you get to the game they say "Oh that will be an extra $50 for fuel surcharges to charter the team flights."

And when Pittsburgh comes to town, you go to give them your tickets, and they say "Hmm... yeah we sold 50,000 tickets to this game. We have no more room left for you to come to this game. But, you're tickets are good to the Hitman game tomorrow. Didn't you read your fine print? Your ticket says it is good for entry to a hockey game, not necessarily on the day and time that you chose. We will give you a $20 coupon off your next year's ticket for your inconvenience though."

[ken0042]

I'm still waiting to see the episode of "Mayday" where they find a plane crashed because the weight balance was off by everybody bringing their bags onboard; making the plane top heavy.

The two things that really bother me about this:
- in the past the trick to a quick flight was to travel so light that a small bag was all you needed. If I was just going to Winnipeg for the weekend I'd just bring a small bag and that would be that. Now I have to wait to get off the plane while a whole family in row 2 retrieves their matched luggage set from the overhead bins.
- The airlines in accordance with security have told us not to bring liquids on board, but to check the bagage. Now I have to decide if I want to pay the fee to check the bagage; or buy shampoo when I get to my destination.

[Neeper]

Originally Posted by nfotiu

If the airlines ran the Flames:

You buy your Flames season tickets, then when you get to the game they say "Oh that will be an extra $50 for fuel surcharges to charter the team flights."

And when Pittsburgh comes to town, you go to give them your tickets, and they say "Hmm... yeah we sold 50,000 tickets to this game. We have no more room left for you to come to this game. But, you're tickets are good to the Hitman game tomorrow. Didn't you read your fine print? Your ticket says it is good for entry to a hockey game, not necessarily on the day and time that you chose. We will give you a $20 coupon off your next year's ticket for your inconvenience though."

Nice one. I had this same exact problem when we were going to SJ for the first round in April. We got bumped off our flight because it was overbooked. We were supposed to arrive in SF at 10am, but instead walked into the HP Pavillion right at puck drop. We only made it in time because I drove like Mario Andretti from the SF Airport. Then they sent me $100 coupon AFTER we filed a complaint. uhh.. right, what am I supposed to do with this coupon? It's useless to me, I am never going to fly United again. Westjet and Cathy Pacific are the only airlines I have flew that I have nothing to complain about.

[Phaneuf3]

Originally Posted by ken0042

The airlines in accordance with security have told us not to bring liquids on board, but to check the bagage. Now I have to decide if I want to pay the fee to check the bagage; or buy shampoo when I get to my destination.

Simple. Shave your head. Stick it to the man.

[blankall]

I would prefer this as an alternative to increasing ticket prices. The value of the dollar has gone down, so inflation will result in a bump in US airline prices.

As a minimalist packer, I am all for this. If there actually is this much extra cost to having more bags on a plane, I am all for the heavy packers absorbing it.

I once went on a vacation with a girl who needed about 100 pounds of cosmetics and lotions.... one of the most frustrating things that has ever happened to me. People who require their stuff to go on vacation should not be allowed to go.

Edit: discouraging extra bags, will also speed up lines at til. I just hope it doesnt slow down lines at security by encouraging people to bring everything on board.

[nfotiu]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I'm still waiting to see the episode of "Mayday" where they find a plane crashed because the weight balance was off by everybody bringing their bags onboard; making the plane top heavy.

The two things that really bother me about this:
- in the past the trick to a quick flight was to travel so light that a small bag was all you needed. If I was just going to Winnipeg for the weekend I'd just bring a small bag and that would be that. Now I have to wait to get off the plane while a whole family in row 2 retrieves their matched luggage set from the overhead bins.
- The airlines in accordance with security have told us not to bring liquids on board, but to check the bagage. Now I have to decide if I want to pay the fee to check the bagage; or buy shampoo when I get to my destination.

I was golfing with this guy who was telling me that he got to the ticket counter with his bag that was 51 pounds. So to save the $50 fee for the overweight bag, he took out his bottle of really nice lotion that he paid $150 for to put in his carry on (What kind of man admits to a complete stranger that he paid $150 for really nice lotion??? ). Then he gets to security and remembers he can't bring it on board. So he loses his $150 lotion to try to save $50!

[Canada 02]

Air Canada is dropping the '2nd bag' fee due to lower fuel costs; good PR or a smoke screen to instead make permanent other fuel surcharges?

Further, Air Canada is making its pricing more transparent by removing add-on fuel surcharges for flights within North America and, instead, adjusting its base fares to cover the total cost of fuel.

http://www.reportonbusiness.com/serv.../Business/home

[Nufy]

I am travelling United on Monday from Calgary - Chicago - Hartford.

One carry-on and two checked.

Thank god its for work. I'll just tell em my Golf clubs were "Extra underwear"....

[redforever]

I am on Westjet mailing list. Just got the announcement that they are dropping fuel surcharges since the cost of fuel has now dropped for the airline.

So that is probably why Westjet's prices have now dropped this afternoon.