Comments on: The day after: is the era of free luggage really over? http://www.elliott.org/blog/the-day-after-is-the-era-of-free-luggage-really-over/ The travel troubleshooter. Sun, 21 Mar 2010 01:43:40 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Kathleen Eaton http://www.elliott.org/blog/the-day-after-is-the-era-of-free-luggage-really-over/comment-page-1/#comment-13026 Kathleen Eaton Tue, 01 Jul 2008 16:53:30 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5031#comment-13026 Hi, Sent this comment/question in before but can't find it here or any response. However, do see others are begining to ask similar questions. If luggage was covered with a ticket price in the past and the airline, therefore, was able to set its own limits on liabiity for lost luggage or damaged luggage, does it follow that a separate charge for each piece of luggage changes the contract? Now that an airline is charging me a fee to take my bag, they are entering into a contract with me to carry and deliver my bag safely (since after accepting the bag, they have control of it and I do not) in return for which I must pay them a fee they set to cover the cost of carrying out their end of the deal. If they then lose the luggage, fail to transport it in a safe and timely manner when they make changes in routing or if the luggage becomes damaged or is taken by a thief, do I as a party to the contract have different rights for compensation? Can I then claim the actual cost of my loss in full because the airline failed to complete its contract with me? Also, there is really poor security for baggage at carousels. Anybody can pick up my bag and walk away with it. Luggage not immediately claimed is often piled up in an airport area where, again, anybody can walk up and take whatever they like. If I am paying a specific fee to the airline to transport my luggage (as one person says, as freight), isn't the airline then obliged to insure that nobody other than me or my designated agent can claim the baggage? Won't they have to set up a "manned" office where people present a bagge claim to a "live person" who then ensures that the right bag goes to the right person. Is failure to do this a breach of contract on the part of the airline now that they have established a "separate" fee and therefore a "separate contract" with passengers for the transport of luggage? Kathleen Eaton Hi,

Sent this comment/question in before but can’t find it here or any response. However, do see others are begining to ask similar questions.

If luggage was covered with a ticket price in the past and the airline, therefore, was able to set its own limits on liabiity for lost luggage or damaged luggage, does it follow that a separate charge for each piece of luggage changes the contract? Now that an airline is charging me a fee to take my bag, they are entering into a contract with me to carry and deliver my bag safely (since after accepting the bag, they have control of it and I do not) in return for which I must pay them a fee they set to cover the cost of carrying out their end of the deal.
If they then lose the luggage, fail to transport it in a safe and timely manner when they make changes in routing or if the luggage becomes damaged or is taken by a thief, do I as a party to the contract have different rights for compensation? Can I then claim the actual cost of my loss in full because the airline failed to complete its contract with me?

Also, there is really poor security for baggage at carousels. Anybody can pick up my bag and walk away with it. Luggage not immediately claimed is often piled up in an airport area where, again, anybody can walk up and take whatever they like.

If I am paying a specific fee to the airline to transport my luggage (as one person says, as freight), isn’t the airline then obliged to insure that nobody other than me or my designated agent can claim the baggage? Won’t they have to set up a “manned” office where people present a bagge claim to a “live person” who then ensures that the right bag goes to the right person. Is failure to do this a breach of contract on the part of the airline now that they have established a “separate” fee and therefore a “separate contract” with passengers for the transport of luggage?

Kathleen Eaton

]]> By: Back on the beat, just in time for more travel downgrades! » Upgrade: Travel Better http://www.elliott.org/blog/the-day-after-is-the-era-of-free-luggage-really-over/comment-page-1/#comment-12399 Back on the beat, just in time for more travel downgrades! » Upgrade: Travel Better Tue, 03 Jun 2008 01:44:27 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5031#comment-12399 [...] plan to follow suit, we’ll see how long that promise lasts. Read Chris Elliott’s post to see why others — such as Continental and United, who are considering it — are likely [...] [...] plan to follow suit, we’ll see how long that promise lasts. Read Chris Elliott’s post to see why others — such as Continental and United, who are considering it — are likely [...]

]]> By: Jasper http://www.elliott.org/blog/the-day-after-is-the-era-of-free-luggage-really-over/comment-page-1/#comment-12385 Jasper Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:15:09 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5031#comment-12385 @ CE: BTW: I do not like the terminology of 'free luggage'. It was no free. Passengers were paying for their luggage to be transported through their ticket. So, we are talking about the end of luggage being included in the ticket price, vs being excluded. 'Free luggage' really seems to suggest it is reasonable that airlines start charging separately. It is not. Passengers want to be transported, including their luggage, from A to B. They want to pay one simply price. Not a incomprehensible addition of fees and charges. On another note, I booked some hotels in France last week. What a relief. Pricing still happens for a large part according to season (high and low), and not according to ridiculous constantly changing pricing schemes. It was lovely, to just find the same prices everywhere, and not having to worry about fees and surcharges (ok, except the €0.60/day-visitor tourist tax, I paid one day). Quelle simplicite! @ CE: BTW: I do not like the terminology of ‘free luggage’. It was no free. Passengers were paying for their luggage to be transported through their ticket. So, we are talking about the end of luggage being included in the ticket price, vs being excluded. ‘Free luggage’ really seems to suggest it is reasonable that airlines start charging separately.

It is not. Passengers want to be transported, including their luggage, from A to B. They want to pay one simply price. Not a incomprehensible addition of fees and charges.

On another note, I booked some hotels in France last week. What a relief. Pricing still happens for a large part according to season (high and low), and not according to ridiculous constantly changing pricing schemes. It was lovely, to just find the same prices everywhere, and not having to worry about fees and surcharges (ok, except the €0.60/day-visitor tourist tax, I paid one day). Quelle simplicite!

]]> By: Dave http://www.elliott.org/blog/the-day-after-is-the-era-of-free-luggage-really-over/comment-page-1/#comment-12384 Dave Mon, 02 Jun 2008 13:05:48 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5031#comment-12384 I guess I am just contrarian here, but I just do not see the scandal in the airline charging for something that is a legitimate expense to them. A passenger that flies without baggage is cheaper to transport than one who flies with lots of stuff. Weight is one issue, but another is personnel. I for one would rather NOT just raise fares for everyone, but pay for a service only when I need it. I know there was a lot of anger at first when the airlines stopped giving free meals. People figured it out and learned to either eat some other way or to pay for a meal. Why should everyone pay for a service on ly some use? What bothers me much more in the travel industry are so-called fees that are totally unavoidable. These need to be quoted in a base price. I guess I am just contrarian here, but I just do not see the scandal in the airline charging for something that is a legitimate expense to them. A passenger that flies without baggage is cheaper to transport than one who flies with lots of stuff. Weight is one issue, but another is personnel. I for one would rather NOT just raise fares for everyone, but pay for a service only when I need it. I know there was a lot of anger at first when the airlines stopped giving free meals. People figured it out and learned to either eat some other way or to pay for a meal. Why should everyone pay for a service on ly some use? What bothers me much more in the travel industry are so-called fees that are totally unavoidable. These need to be quoted in a base price.

]]> By: Jasper http://www.elliott.org/blog/the-day-after-is-the-era-of-free-luggage-really-over/comment-page-1/#comment-12383 Jasper Mon, 02 Jun 2008 12:50:20 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5031#comment-12383 Quote from a United air attendant om my transatlantic flight yesterday, when I walked to the back of the plane to stretch a bit: "That would be a $5 stretching fee, sir". This is why I like United. At least their personnel knows they work in an insane business. Quote from a United air attendant om my transatlantic flight yesterday, when I walked to the back of the plane to stretch a bit: “That would be a $5 stretching fee, sir”.

This is why I like United. At least their personnel knows they work in an insane business.

]]> By: David James http://www.elliott.org/blog/the-day-after-is-the-era-of-free-luggage-really-over/comment-page-1/#comment-12362 David James Fri, 30 May 2008 01:25:14 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5031#comment-12362 On two separate occasions, on past flights, my luggage didn't arrive at my destination when I did. (Fortunately, these were both return trips home). Projecting this experience to the new policy, if I ante up the fee, and my luggage is detained or doesn't make the same flight, am I entitled to a refund? Would such refund be on-the-spot or would I have to complete duplicate, triplicate, forms, send them here and there and wait the obligatory 4-6 weeks for my refund? I forsee more problems than this solves. If the airlines really want to charge for luggage, make those passengers who take huge pieces of luggage as their carry on, pay the fee. Of course, if the airlines would enforce the size limits.... On two separate occasions, on past flights, my luggage didn’t arrive at my destination when I did. (Fortunately, these were both return trips home). Projecting this experience to the new policy, if I ante up the fee, and my luggage is detained or doesn’t make the same flight, am I entitled to a refund? Would such refund be on-the-spot or would I have to complete duplicate, triplicate, forms, send them here and there and wait the obligatory 4-6 weeks for my refund? I forsee more problems than this solves. If the airlines really want to charge for luggage, make those passengers who take huge pieces of luggage as their carry on, pay the fee. Of course, if the airlines would enforce the size limits….

]]> By: Judy Nejman http://www.elliott.org/blog/the-day-after-is-the-era-of-free-luggage-really-over/comment-page-1/#comment-12343 Judy Nejman Thu, 29 May 2008 11:09:13 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5031#comment-12343 I've got to believe this is going to backfire for American Airlines. All the gas they were hoping to save is now going to be wasted because the boarding process is going to SLOW way down! Since the planes and overhead bin space get smaller and smaller, where on earth are we going to store our "stuff"?Maybe we should have clothing swap shops at each airport. You drop off some clothes as you depart, receive a voucher that you can redeem at the other end for pants, shirts, etc. That way, it's unnecessary to carry anything on the plane. Sorry about your computers, ipods and business equipment you need to carry. You'll now need to ship that ahead of time. Let's give the transportation industry our hard earned dollar and not the airlines! We should also then see reduction in the price of the airline ticket right? They can then convert the cargo hold into seating, and make more money ;) Crazy isn't it? I’ve got to believe this is going to backfire for American Airlines. All the gas they were hoping to save is now going to be wasted because the boarding process is going to SLOW way down! Since the planes and overhead bin space get smaller and smaller, where on earth are we going to store our “stuff”?Maybe we should have clothing swap shops at each airport. You drop off some clothes as you depart, receive a voucher that you can redeem at the other end for pants, shirts, etc. That way, it’s unnecessary to carry anything on the plane. Sorry about your computers, ipods and business equipment you need to carry. You’ll now need to ship that ahead of time. Let’s give the transportation industry our hard earned dollar and not the airlines! We should also then see reduction in the price of the airline ticket right? They can then convert the cargo hold into seating, and make more money ;) Crazy isn’t it?

]]> By: Nigel Appleby http://www.elliott.org/blog/the-day-after-is-the-era-of-free-luggage-really-over/comment-page-1/#comment-12341 Nigel Appleby Thu, 29 May 2008 05:48:48 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5031#comment-12341 I know it's been suggested before, BUT why don't they charge for carry on? Just think how much quicker boarding and getting off would be if there were no carry on. Let checked luggaga be free, well not free but included. I know it’s been suggested before, BUT why don’t they charge for carry on? Just think how much quicker boarding and getting off would be if there were no carry on. Let checked luggaga be free, well not free but included.

]]> By: Candice http://www.elliott.org/blog/the-day-after-is-the-era-of-free-luggage-really-over/comment-page-1/#comment-12340 Candice Thu, 29 May 2008 05:35:36 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5031#comment-12340 Everyone keeps talking about a $15.00 fee. Isn't it a $15.00 fee EACH WAY and so therefore a $30 fee, since 99.9% of us fly Round Trip.??? Everyone keeps talking about a $15.00 fee.

Isn’t it a $15.00 fee EACH WAY and so therefore a $30 fee, since 99.9% of us fly Round Trip.???

]]> By: Chris http://www.elliott.org/blog/the-day-after-is-the-era-of-free-luggage-really-over/comment-page-1/#comment-12337 Chris Thu, 29 May 2008 01:25:56 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=5031#comment-12337 my only thought ............. as a person who flys, for business and have to check baggage due to items carried, and the only baggage that has not been arriving is the bag that you pay to fly ............. shame that even when you pay for the service, they can't get that done for you !!!!! my only thought …………. as a person who flys, for business and have to check baggage due to items carried, and the only baggage that has not been arriving is the bag that you pay to fly ………….

shame that even when you pay for the service, they can’t get that done for you !!!!!

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