United is charging $25.00 for a second checked bag

[CMDAVILACLI]

Did everyone notice United's new charge for economy fliers? They are now charging $25.00 for a second checked bag. Previously, fliers were allowed two bags free then charged for a third or more bags. Frequent fliers and business/first class get two free bags. United says that only 1 in 4 passengers check more than one bag, so the impact will be on just 25% of their fliers.I believe this policy goes into effect at the beginning of May. I cannot imagine how awful this is going to be in the delays at the counter with those 25% of passengers having to take the time to pay this upcharge. And... wait until you see the increase in passengers attempting to avoid this expense by carrying ontheir secondsuitcase and cramming it into the already crowded overhead bins!

cmdavilacli

[kyshel]

wow--that's a toughie!
With $100/barrel oil prices,airlines have MORE need to know, prior to take-off, where the weight is--there's the actual baggage (ck'd weight and the weighed cargo) PLUS the estimated per person weight (which includes estimated carry-on) to consider. I have seen standby's removed from a flight that had empty seats because the 2 weight categories added up to too much--whether the person was small or huge--with bags or not--it's a number and if it means a certain weight per pax--that's what it means.
I suppose that indicates we'll be imposing fuel surcharges soon--all airlines.

Message Edited by kyshel on 02-21-2008 11:36 AM

[travel2fun]

cmdavilacli, I log a lot of air miles each year both domestic (US) and international. I have learned to pack for a one week trip in a carry on bag that will easily store in the overhead (no checked baggage required). I have learned to pack for 10 days to two weeks aboard in one checked bag, plus whatever I take along in my carry-on bag which will fit in the overhead bid. Yes, I do have to do some in-room laundry and I don't have a new outfit every night----mix and match is the idea. I'm sure more and more domestic carriers will start charging for extra bags. I see this all of the time on the low cost European carriers. It's time we leave the kitchen sink home and just take what we really need or pay the extra costs!

[CMDAVILACLI]

I've been on plenty of flights on little planes going over the Canadian Rockies where they airlines have rejected bags and moved all sorts of people around to adjust for the weight... I've never seen them ask/remove passengers! Yes, I'm afraid that eventually, all the airlines will follow suit. We know that many of the low cost European airlines already charge for bags, but it's not too bad when the tickets are so cheap. Unfortunately, the tickets I have to buy always seem to cost a bundle and now I'm going to get zapped with another expense if I am forced to carry a second bag.

cmdavilacli

[CMDAVILACLI]

Hi Travel2fun,

I, too, am a "seasoned" traveler...and have learned to cut way back on my packing. I usually travel with only 1 bag, (mostly checked because I cannot live without my potions and lotions!) but I fear the delays at the counters and the bulging overhead bins will be the results of those travelers who didn't quite get the message. These are the ones who still try and go through the security lines with prohibited items and wear the most inconvenient shoes/clothing that they must remove! It will be interesting to watch how this revenue generating policy affects the time and comfort of the travelers.

cmdavilacli

[lhbrown]

Hi,
Over here in Europe, Ryanair.com has been charging for checked baggage at the airport for some time now. You are allowed a total of 3 bags totalling 15 kg after that it is 10 euro per kg over the 15 kg limit. If you check 1 bag it costs 26 euros, if you divide your 15 kgs into 2 bags it sets you back 60 euros, and three bags will cost you 120 euros. The carry on allowance is 10 kg. These baggage charges are often higher than the actual flight ticket. I am not surprised that with rising fuel costs, airlines think of anything they can defray the costs with. Packing light, is something we all will have to learn if we want to preserve our hard earned dollars when it comes to air travel.

[jashermd]

Hello,

Personally, I'm not a big fan of Ryanair's policies, which seem to be aimed at squeezing as much money out of people via various surcharges (for food, for checking luggage, for checking in at the airport (no, I'm not joking) while still claiming to offer cheap flights.

On the other hand, the stuff that I've seen people attempt to check in as luggage on various flights is nothing short of amazing. I've seen appliances (microwaves, stereos, computers); car parts (including a tyre); entire sets of crockery (not sure about the logic of this one, given the way airlines treat luggage); and furniture. No kitchen sinks yet, though a survey of check-in agents did apparently turn up a few cases of people attempting to check those in as well.

I'm a seasoned traveller, and I rarely check more than one bag (back in the days before the draconian carry-on size restrictions at Heathrow I rarely checked any bags). If fares go down, I can see some justification for charging for checking more than one bag. But if fares stay the same and/or continue to rise, I find it hard to justify -- at that point it just seems as if the airlines are making extra money without providing any improvements in service.

Cheers,
Julian




Message Edited by jashermd on 02-23-2008 11:38 PM

[lhbrown]

Hi jashermd,

I am not exactly a fan of RyanAir either, but it is convenient for us to reach Bergamo/Milan from Paris. We could certainly travel just with the 10 kg carry-on luggage, but our problem arises from the fact that we carry a couple of hiking sticks when we travel to the Dolomites this June. Since hiking sticks are not allowed at any airline in the carry-on baggage, we are obligated to pay the 26 Euro checked bagge fee, at least for one checked bag.

AirBerlin which we are using this coming March to fly to Budapest has not yet jumped on the bandwagon of charging for checked luggage, and the baggage allowance is still 20 kg, plus they still serve free food and papers, and their planes are about the newest planes in the budget airline business. We do like AirBerlin a lot more.

[jashermd]

Hello LL-Travelfan,

Of the various budget airlines I think Ryanair is pretty much the worst in terms of service (on the other hand, they are extremely cheap so I suppose you do get what you pay for, which is a coach with wings). EasyJet's not too bad, and at least they fly out of Gatwick rather than Stansted. I haven't tried AirBerlin yet but they sound like they might be all right as well.

Cheers,
Julian

[lhbrown]

Hi jashermd,
We have tried easyjet.com a few times for flights Paris - Nice, and liked their prices. We understand easyjet just opened a new hub at CDG and added quite a few new routes to the rest of Europe from here. Try airberlin.com next time you'll get a chance. They are quite a nice airline, and when you have the flexibility and check early you can find prices as low as 1 Euro + tax, quite a nice bargain.




Message Edited by lhbrown on 02-26-2008 02:21 AM