Westjet to charge $20 fee for second bag

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by chemgear

At first I was going to say that an average of 150 pounds would be an overly low estimate. But then I realized you were talking about the carry-on.

They should start charging fatter people more - $20/pound above <insert random magic number here>

Fatter people should have their fat count as their carry-on and personal item.

[Frank MetaMusil]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

Fatter people should have their fat count as their carry-on and personal item.

Didn't airlines change it so they had to buy multiple seats if their gunts or flab poured into the one beside them? I'm not sure if this was just something I wanted them to do, or if it was actually done.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Frank MetaMusil

Didn't airlines change it so they had to buy multiple seats if their gunts or flab poured into the one beside them? I'm not sure if this was just something I wanted them to do, or if it was actually done.

I think they have policies that say they will charge, but it seems everytime they do they get sued.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

I would be a fan of having the first two checked bags are free but airlines actually enforcing their carry-on rules. If it doesn't fit in that metal cage thing, it doesn't come into the cabin.....

I have an even better idea- start boarding passengers based on their carry-on. So in order:

- Elderly, people with physical issues, people with babies. (last flight I saw a couple with an 8 and 10 year old go up when they announce the "small children" thing.)
- People with no carry on.
- People with one small carry on.
- Everybody else.

Last flight I was on my cell rang just as we were boarding. (It was my vet with my pet's test results.) Rather than being "that guy" I excused myself out of the line to take the call and went to the back of the line. By the time I got on the plane there was no room anywhere near me for my jacket; but several "suitcases" in the overhead bins.

Trust me- I "get" the advantages of not checking a bag; and on a weekend trip home I will do that. But I make sure it all fits into a small gym bag.

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I have an even better idea- start boarding passengers based on their carry-on. So in order:

- Elderly, people with pysical issues, people with babies. (last flight I saw a couple with an 8 and 10 year old go up when they announce the "small children thing.)
- People with no carry on.
- People with one small carry on.
- Everybody else.

Last flight I was on my cell rang just as we were boarding. (It was my vet with my pet's test results.) Rather than being "that guy" I excused myself out of the line to take the call and went to the back of the line. By the time I got on the plane there was no room anywhere near me for my jacket; but several "suitcases" in the overhead bins.

Trust me- I "get" the advantages of not checking a bag; and on a weekend trip home I will do that. But I make sure it all fits into a small gym bag.

You mean there are people in this world like yourself that aren't yelling on their cellphone, dragging their suitcase, while trying to balance and eat 6,500 calories worth of airport food and didn't get their bordering pass out before they got to the front of the line?

The answer to this entire problem is pretty fataing simple: use the carry-on measuring things that exist at every gate in every airport. If it doesn't fit, the person has to go out and check their bag.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by MJM

I've about had it with Westjet. They try to push themselves as a low-cost air carrier, but they are dollar for dollar the same price as Air Canada, with nowhere near as close of the ammenities and crappier flight times.

I saved $500 bucks ($250/ticket) flying to Vegas on United out of Calgary. How the hell is that a low-fare airline

If Westjet wants to play with the big boys, it should stop this low-cost carrier. I honestly don't give two turds if their flight attendants smile at me and wish me good evening, all I care about is getting to where I'm going at the lowest possible cost.

Their lowest fares are lower than Air Canada. However unlike Air Canada and UAL (United Airlines), the reason they havent declared bankruptcy yet is that once those fares are sold out then the fares increase as the plane fills up, its airline economics 101. If you saved $500/ticket going to Vegas then you tried to book close to your departure time or durring a high travel period.

What at Air Canada differentiates them from Westjet on competing routes? Within 30 days of Westjet instituting this policy Air Canada will match.

Westjet is a buisness whose philosophy is low cost point to point routes. Westjet buisness model doesnt fly someone from Calgary to Vancouver only to save them $20 on a flight to Toronto - that loses airlines money. That is the hub model that United Airlines and Air Canada uses.

[Bigtime]

Westjet can do no wrong out west, I can't imagine the stink this would be if it was another Air Canada announcement of an additional charge for something.

For all the "Team Teal" kool-aid drinkers out there, let's compare the two airlines when Westjet is flying overseas, has a two class cabin, and multiple aircraft types. Until then its apples to oranges.

Edit: I do fly with both airlines as well. Not some crazy loyal AC flyer only.

[mykalberta]

One other thing, this does go along with stated policy of wanting more customers to bring their luggage as carry on and not checked baggage.

[Clever_Iggy]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

One other thing, this does go along with stated policy of wanting more customers to bring their luggage as carry on and not checked baggage.

That's WestJet's position in order to save money on baggage handling/fuel costs, correct? Fata do I hate WestJet. I've never, ever seen WestJet be cheaper, for my needs, than UA or AC.

IMO, the only worthwhile carrier in North America is SouthWest. WestJet tries to emulate, but fails miserably.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

Westjet can do no wrong out west, I can't imagine the stink this would be if it was another Air Canada announcement of an additional charge for something.

For all the "Team Teal" kool-aid drinkers out there, let's compare the two airlines when Westjet is flying overseas, has a two class cabin, and multiple aircraft types. Until then its apples to oranges.

Your post is hilarious! WestJet has a lower cost structure in part because they only have one aircraft type (bulk buying efficiencies, maintenance & crew training efficiencies, parts stocking effiencies, etc.). A one-class cabin also saves money and allows more seats on the plane, which obviously translates into more revenue (or possible revenue) per flight.

You're basically saying WestJet should throw away their advantage, their strategy and what has made them succesful and adopt a less efficient model, like Air Canada. Then we'll compare them and see how crappy WestJet has become!

[Bigtime]

No, I'm simply saying that all the Westjet lovers that deride Air Canada are not comparing two similar airlines. Your reply to me proves that. I am VERY aware how the two are different from an operational standpoint.

Plus Westjet has already strayed from the Southwest model in how they conduct business. Not too mention their upcoming experiment chartering 2 757's for flights to Hawaii this coming winter/spring. We'll see how their pilot group likes that.

[Bend it like Bourgeois]

The carry on issue typically isn't two bags, but the fact people will use up the overhead bins before putting one at their feet, or have 3 or 4 or even 5 things (2 bags plus a purse plus a coat+ a duty free bag etc.)

And for fata sake keep your shoes on.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Clever_Iggy

That's WestJet's position in order to save money on baggage handling/fuel costs, correct? Fata do I hate WestJet. I've never, ever seen WestJet be cheaper, for my needs, than UA or AC.

IMO, the only worthwhile carrier in North America is SouthWest. WestJet tries to emulate, but fails miserably.

Yes I believe so. From what I have heard the reason they stuck with with the 737-600 instead of the E190 as was rumored was the cabin baggage storage.

I have heard they have cargo plans once they can get 1/2 the cargo hold free of bags on a regular basis.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Yes I believe so. From what I have heard the reason they stuck with with the 737-600 instead of the E190 as was rumored was the cabin baggage storage.

I have heard they have cargo plans once they can get 1/2 the cargo hold free of bags on a regular basis.

What kind of cargo plans though? The 737 series can't fit the standard LD3-46 cargo pallets like the Airbus 319/20/21 family can.

[MJM]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Their lowest fares are lower than Air Canada. However unlike Air Canada and UAL (United Airlines), the reason they havent declared bankruptcy yet is that once those fares are sold out then the fares increase as the plane fills up, its airline economics 101. If you saved $500/ticket going to Vegas then you tried to book close to your departure time or durring a high travel period.

What at Air Canada differentiates them from Westjet on competing routes? Within 30 days of Westjet instituting this policy Air Canada will match.

Westjet is a buisness whose philosophy is low cost point to point routes. Westjet buisness model doesnt fly someone from Calgary to Vancouver only to save them $20 on a flight to Toronto - that loses airlines money. That is the hub model that United Airlines and Air Canada uses.

There is no way their lower fares are lower than Air Canada's economy fares. I can't remember one instance in my lifetime where Westjet was $1 dollar cheaper than Air Canada for a similar flight.

And you are out to lunch on Vegas as well. I booked two months in advance, and the only time I could get a comparable rate on Westjet to United/Delta was if I left on a Sunday and came back prior to Friday. I went to the Mandalay (2 people) with hotel and flight included during the May long weekend last year for $1,100 (Thursday to Sunday). I couldn't even fly to Vegas for that on Westjet.

I'm convinced people out here are brainwashed that Westjet is an actual good airline. Maybe their commercials send subliminal messaged to people in Alberta specifically designed for people who have relatives who work for Westjet.

Westjet is a low-cost airline that charges full rates. Simple as that. It drives me insane that they come off as some sort of saviour of the airline industry. You want to see what a low-cost airline is all about, take a look at Porter Airlines in the east or Southwest as someone has already mentioned. Unfortunetly we'll never have Porter out here because Westjet will do everything its power not to be shown up on home turf.

[Bill Bumface]

Sheesh.

Fly with whatever airline you like. Most people do.

Westjet is appealing enough to be one of the few profitable airlines in the last few years and is grabbing Air Canada's market share rapidly.

If the price is equal, I'll take WestJet as it's a Calgary company. No other reason.

I find AC's international service excellent, and after a few long haul flights on US airlines you'll be glad that we have two excellent choices in comparison.

[Bob]

Originally Posted by chemgear

At first I was going to say that an average of 150 pounds would be an overly low estimate. But then I realized you were talking about the carry-on.

They should start charging fatter people more - $20/pound above <insert random magic number here>

I suppose a perfectly fair system would have people showing up to the airport to be weighed along with all their travel possessions, then paying for what they're bringing aboard at a fixed cost/pound ratio. You wouldn't be buying a ticket for a fixed price, you'd be reserving a seat and a cost/pound ratio for a given flight. Of course, people would scream discrimination every which way, but it would be absolutely unambiguous: you want to take more? you pay more. Maybe you handle first-class / economy with an additional fixed charge or a multiplier or something.

Of course, this more or less supposes that the cost/pound per passenger is fixed from an empty airplane all the way up to a full one (I don't think that's completely unreasonable, since passengers and baggage are just "weight" and don't affect aerodynamics other than maybe weight distribution), but there could very well be some kind of efficiency curve based on partial/full loading that needs to be factored in. How airlines arrive at such a cost would likely be proprietary as well, as it could be derived from staff wages, maintenance intervals, and all manner of other contributory factors in addition to the obvious ones. Ideally the derivation of such rates would be openly transparent, but that's pretty unlikely--they'd probably just settle on a flat fee for most flights based on broad average from things like the type of plane used and distance flown.

(I've often wondered what it costs a typical airline in real dollars to fly a pound from, say, London to Toronto.)

I also think that it would lead to many bizarre cases where people go for enemas/stomach pumps/cleanses before going on flights, just so they don't have to pay as much. Maybe some even put helium balloons in their baggage to reduce the apparent weight.

It's all very amusing to think about, but I doubt it ever really flies.

[mykalberta]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

No, I'm simply saying that all the Westjet lovers that deride Air Canada are not comparing two similar airlines. Your reply to me proves that. I am VERY aware how the two are different from an operational standpoint.

Plus Westjet has already strayed from the Southwest model in how they conduct business. Not too mention their upcoming experiment chartering 2 757's for flights to Hawaii this coming winter/spring. We'll see how their pilot group likes that.

I am sure the pilot groups feels the same way they did when they leased 2 738 from Delta to start flights to Toronto. Who are the 757 coming from - Delta/NW, AA, Continental? Hopefully not a Eurotrash tour operator.

I feel for the baggage guys who have to load that beast, Transat 757 were the worst back in my airport days.

[Sliver]

Originally Posted by MJM

There is no way their lower fares are lower than Air Canada's economy fares. I can't remember one instance in my lifetime where Westjet was $1 dollar cheaper than Air Canada for a similar flight.

And you are out to lunch on Vegas as well. I booked two months in advance, and the only time I could get a comparable rate on Westjet to United/Delta was if I left on a Sunday and came back prior to Friday. I went to the Mandalay (2 people) with hotel and flight included during the May long weekend last year for $1,100 (Thursday to Sunday). I couldn't even fly to Vegas for that on Westjet.

I'm convinced people out here are brainwashed that Westjet is an actual good airline. Maybe their commercials send subliminal messaged to people in Alberta specifically designed for people who have relatives who work for Westjet.

Westjet is a low-cost airline that charges full rates. Simple as that. It drives me insane that they come off as some sort of saviour of the airline industry. You want to see what a low-cost airline is all about, take a look at Porter Airlines in the east or Southwest as someone has already mentioned. Unfortunetly we'll never have Porter out here because Westjet will do everything its power not to be shown up on home turf.

No, WestJet's low fares are now the industry standard - we all just take low fares for granted now.

[Bigtime]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

I am sure the pilot groups feels the same way they did when they leased 2 738 from Delta to start flights to Toronto. Who are the 757 coming from - Delta/NW, AA, Continental? Hopefully not a Eurotrash tour operator.

I feel for the baggage guys who have to load that beast, Transat 757 were the worst back in my airport days.

Uh oh, it's Air Finland.