baggage fees

[CMDAVILACLI]

Just needed to crab about the ever continuing fees added to the cost of airline travel above and beyond the food, drinks, pillows etc... In order to fly now I must purchase space for my bags ($15.00 for the first $25.00 for the second on Delta - and YES, I have to have two because I am traveling on business) which in the case of my upcoming trip is $80.00 or another 21% !!!!!!!!

21% fee to check in my bags is outrageous! My rental car for the week cost the same... 1 night hotel also cost the same. And to add insult to injury, someone who doesn't want to pay the fee will cram in their nasty piece of luggage on top of my nicely folded coat/briefcase and possibly damage them.

I thought the original idea was to cut down on the amount of baggage "flown" to reduce the amount of fuel consumed... but now it really appears to just be a money making venture.

What is really weird, is if you fly on a code share and one of the partners doesn't charge a fee for the first bag, then you've just saved money by booking through that airline for the same flight!

And finally, to truly confuse someone, on US Airways, if you book through them, on the computer, the bag is only $15.00, but if you book through a different source ie: Priceline, etc... you have to pay $20.00 for the same bag because you have to pay at the ticket counter. Can we say, super rip off!

So my question is, other that Southwest Airlines, is there any US domestic airline that does not charge a baggage fee?


cmdavilacli

[bradio]

WOW!! I feel your frustration CMDAVILACLI. It just doesnt seem to stop does it?? Fees for everything. Rarely do we truly just pay for a plane ticket anymore. The same is starting to happen here in Aust as well.

[kyshel]

Brace yourself, CMD!!

"Southwest Airlines, which has long bragged of no hidden fees, joined other carriers fighting industry economic challenges and grouped several fees into one announcement today, the Dallas News reported.

The airline will begin to allow small cats and dogs as carry on items in the cabin and charge $75 each way.

Southwest also will increase bag fees to $50 from $25 for a third checked bag or a bag weighing between 51 and 70 pounds.

And unaccompanied minors will be charged $25 each way. Previously, the airline allowed children to fly as an unaccompanied minor free of charge. "

[shygirl724]

I am waiting to be charged a fee for bringing my own meal onboard. Sort of like the "corking fee" charged when you bring your own wine to the restaurant.

[omegaet]

kyshel.....$75 is a deal (not as good as free), compared to AA, which charges $100 for a pet in the cabin.

Also, AA is starting some new policies this summer for tighter restrictions involving flights to Central and South America and the Caribbean...limiting the number of pieces and size of carry-on items (some might call this discriminatory business practices to single out regional destinations for tighter restrictions not imposed system wide).Message Edited by omegaet on 05-30-2009 04:52 PM

[kyshel]

I wonder if that would be a "brown bag" fee, shygirl?

[bonniejoy03]

Just returned from Anguilla. $15 per bag each and then 25 for the third bag. Then....on the ICE COLD PLANE WITH COLD AIR BLOWING ON ME, they told me no blankets and that I would have to PAY for a blanket. (unfortunately I had a sweater and drank coffee too quick, put my travel cup in my big bag on my WHITE sweater and a little got on it....cleaned the sweater in the restroom and then had a wet sweater....so......couldn't wear the wet sweater with the cold air blowing on me....oh yeah...and the guy hacking up a lung of some other disease right near me! Sorry to ramble but on no sleep..and ps-the trip was still fantastic!). But, the funny part was on the flight back, they only charged for the third piece of luggage and the first two were free?? Can't figure it out but still relieved to save some money~! This was USAIR. Hey..the good news is USAir is not charging for non-alcohol beverages...weo! no food, no tv, no movies, pay for blankets and luggage and have cold air blown on you...the pleasures of travel!!!

[shygirl724]

Hey Bonniejoy,

The cold air was probably a marketing tool to "encourage" you to pay for a blanket! lol

[omegaet]

somewhat related to some of the unusual fees and charges and the unique way them get imposed.

The other day, while preparing to depart GUA for FLL, we bought two bottles of water after we passed through the final security check point. The bottles were sealed and we intended to consume the water on the flight. We observed people boarding a TACA flight at the adjacent gate with bottles of water as well as sodas (some of which were unsealed). As our SPIRIT AIR flight was called, a uniformed agent from a private security firm approached a table adjacent to the boarding line to do one final carry-on bag check. He noticed our bottles of water and said we could not carry them aboard the airplane. I showed him the receipt (we had also purchased a sandwich), indicating the water and food had been purchased in the concourse after we passed through security and pointed out the bottles were still sealed. I also mentioned the TACA flight and the people boarding with bottles opened and sealed.

He said SPIRIT would not allow us to board the flight with the water. OKno need to go to jail in Guatemala City over a couple of bottles of water.

On board the flight, SPIRIT was more than happy to charge me $2 for a smaller bottle of water and $3 for a cup of coffee (free refills)!

Maybe Im just suspicious..but is SPIRIT making sure they maintain a revenue stream with in-flight beverage sales and TACA is missing out on an opportunity?

[CMDAVILACLI]

Wow, Omegaet... that is truly the worst case I heard so far! I know in the airport in Zihuatenejo that you can purchase water after going through security, but they too will not let you take the bottles on... but at least once we get on the plane (which is usually an Alaska flight) we are not charged for the water!

The sad thing about this is that these bizzare practices are so random, and imposed by some guy in a back room who's only job is to increase the bottom line for the airline. There's no connection with so many of these fees to the reality of what is going on in the aiports and actually on the plane!

The one I truly abhor is Alaska only allowing credit cards to purchase meals, drinks etc... (no cash) well, when my teen son travels by himself, he doesn't have a credit card, so if he gets hungry, he cannot purchase anything to eat or drink. Imagine when they start charging for water and you need a credit card to purchase that!

cmdavilacli