US Airways raised its baggage fees yesterday, setting off what’s sure to be another round of me-toos from its competitors. Luggage fees are almost pure profit, and because there’s almost no pushback from passengers, carriers are getting away with these new surcharges.
But why?
I wondered about that after getting an email from reader Diana Choles, whose daughter was forced to pay an extra $260 in excess luggage fees on a flight from Rome to Greece, even though the bags were underweight.
Why aren’t customers standing at the gates with pitchforks and lighted torches?
Here’s what happened to Choles’ daughter:
It was midnight and everyone was so tired. She got to the check in point and was told she was allowed one carry-on and one check-in [bag]. She had an extra small bag — all her bags where under 50 pounds — but a ticket agent then told her it would be $260 for the extra bag.
I am having a hard time believing that this was the case. That was more than the ticket itself. I have a feeling that she was taken.
Her daughter was taken, but she is in good company. We are all being taken.
Let me answer my question about why more passengers aren’t protesting the fees, like Choles. I think they’re just grateful to have their luggage.
Let’s go back to last year, when fee innovator US Airways decided to start charging for soft drinks. That didn’t go so well, and the airline eventually reversed itself. Apparently, having clean water on a plane wasn’t considered optional by most air travelers.
But luggage fees — ah, that’s another issue.
Imagine pulling up to the ticket counter, as Choles’ daughter did, and being told that you had to fork over $280 (or, for that matter, $2,800). If you don’t, you’re told, you have to abandon your suitcase.
From a customer’s perspective, the airline is holding your luggage hostage. It’s saying: Pay or you’ll have to toss your personal belongings into the trash.
Who wouldn’t fork over the cash?
Now, I don’t begrudge the airlines the opportunity to make money. But not like this.
This “unbundling” madness must end. The Transportation Department refuses to do anything about it, apparently for ideological reasons, so we have to take this fight to someone who will: to our elected representatives.
Airlines must not be allowed to hold our luggage hostage. Maybe the government needs to prevent them from doing it.
(Photo: Noël Zia Lee/Flickr Creative Commons)
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{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
This is why I love Southwest. I flew with them last month and was able to pack everything I needed into two bags. When I fly next month on AirTran (which I’m only taking because SW doesn’t got to Atlanta) I’m going to have to fit everything in one suitcase and hope it isn’t over 50 lbs, and I still have to pay $15.
But what are fliers supposed to do? It’s not like they have much of a choice when it comes to this.
If this fee just won’t go away, I’d like to see airlines make an option when you book your flight to say how many bags you’ll bring. I’ll pay $5 or $10 additional when I book my flight if I have to and wouldn’t mind too much. If you don’t pre-pay, then you pay $15-$25 at check in.
I think it’s more the fact that you have to pay additionally on the day of your flight that makes people mad more than anything. It’s seems like $15-$25 less out of your wallet, less that you have to spend while on your vacation or business trip.
This brings up a couple questions: first of all, where was Chole’s daughter flying to? The article just says Greece – was it a major international airport like Athens? Or was it some remote island only served by a tiny regional airline with prop planes? If it was the former, clearly the bag limitation is rediculous, and the fee was robbery.
But if it was the latter, then passengers have to recognize that any time you are going to be flying on a small plane, there are going to be baggage limitations that are significantly smaller than large passenger jets. These small planes have weight restrictions that can severely limit the amount of cargo they can take. It’s incumbent on us as passengers to know what these limitations are, and stay within them…for basic safety. I sure don’t want MY flight on a small plane to be rendered less safe because somebody else shows up with more luggage than can safely be carried.
The second question is, why didn’t she know exactly what her baggage limitations were? These days, with so many different rules among so many different airlines, it’s nuts to just assume that whatever you want to bring will be accommodated for free – especially when flying international and/or regional carriers. You can always learn what your baggage limitations are by either checking the airline’s website itself, or asking your Travel Agent to do so. To just head out without knowing is foolhardy, and leaves you vulnerable to exactly what happened: getting hit with outrageous fees.
I’m traveling to the Galapagos Islands next month, and I already know that I am limited to ONE suitcase of max. 40 lbs, and one small carry-on. If I choose to bring more, that’s my own fault and I would have to accept whatever fees they hit me with.
Now, if this was a major carrier using full-sized passenger jets going to a large airport, I think that the limitation is absurd, not to mention the fee. I’ve NEVER heard of that high a fee for a second bag, at least not on any decent sized airline!
Chris, can you please share with us who the airline was? If it’s a major airline, I think your readers would like to know so we can avoid using them. ESPECIALLY if they don’t post their limits on their website. If that’s the case, then I think this would qualify as a full-on scam, and should be investigated.
On the other hand, if it’s a small regional airline, I think this story is much less compelling, as the limit would be reasonable. I’d like to see if they post their luggage limitations on their website. And if they do, then I can’t say I have a lot of sympathy for the traveler who didn’t do her homework before she took off to fly on a small, foreign airline without knowing what her baggage allowances were.
Very interesting…
I think it’s annoying that there are 2 different baggage systems. In Europe it goes with the weight & it’s usual to have only 1 free bag (normally 18kg, if I remember right). So having a second you just have to pay. But the price you are talking about is crazy! It should be €20 – 30,- but not more. That’s definitely a rip off! And it’s very sad that they really hostage you luggage and get pressure on the traveler.
My family flew last Friday for a weekend trip. When we went to check our bags, the agent said, “Only checking one bag for a family of four?”
“Welcome to your checked baggage policy,” I grunted, as I lugged my 49.99999625 lb suitcase on the scale. She thought it was pretty funny.
Frankly, I find this story unbelievable. If the charge was really $260, there must have been something else going on. Maybe it was a con job by the person who said she had to check it. Or maybe there was something unique about her luggage that caused a higher fee. I highly doubt that any airline charges a $260 fee for any standard piece of luggage on any flight.
Well, when I had a chance to vote with my wallet even though it cost a little extra, I did so. When booking a a recent R/T RDU->FLL, I booked SW instead of AA or DL or AirTran precisely because the luggage fees on the so-called “full-service” carriers would have bumped the total costs to be just a few bucks cheaper than Southwest’s fare.
I don’t particularly like the cattle-call SW boarding process, but $30-$40 R/T for one bag on the majors is getting silly.
Until more consumers vote with their wallet, by either taking Southwest, cancelling travel plans, or taking a different form of travel, these luggage fees aren’t going away.
While it wouldn’t accomplish anything, it would be nice to watch Airline execs squirm during congressional hearings, when asked why the luggage fees “imposed because of high fuel costs” haven’t gone away as the price of oil has gone back down.
Monarch wanted to charge me Eu 45 for being 4Kg between 3 of us over flying from Corfu to Manchester this year. Ludicrously we unpacked some stuff and put it in our hand baggage and pockets instead. Once we had established that the checked bags were now under weight we then took them to a security scanning post and put all the luggage back in again on the way :-)
How stupid was THAT.
Oh yeah and the girl in front of us had checked in single bag which weighed 5 Kg under. I’m not flying Monarch again by choice – too stupid for words.
Here’s a thought. Since my luggage is now a paying passenger, if the airline loses it, are they required to give me a refund? After all, I’m paying them to transport my luggage from point A to point B, and if they fail to do that, why should I still have to pay the fee. That’s like the waiter giving your steak to someone else and still expecting you to pay for it.
It seems pretty simple to me. The reason passangers aren’t up in arms about the luggage fees is because they don’t have a choice. I am scheduled to fly out to SanDiego in a month. The Airline wants $20 for me to check a bag. What choice do I have? I can either A not take and luggage which is impractical or B raise a stink about it at the gate check in area and risk being pulled aside by the TSA for some extra “searching”. We can complain about it all we want but the reality is that most of still need to fly and the airlines know it. They can charge us whatever they want and get away with it as long as all their competitors do the same. The reason it didn’t work with charging for soda is because the passanger had a choice. They didn’t require an “airline provided soda” in order to fly. They could have just as easily bought a can or bottle before departing and said no thanks to the airline. The airlines recognized this and saw that they were not only not making any additional profit but they were also loosing good will towards their customers. It was a no nonsense decision to stop charging for somethng to drink on the flight. My only surprise is that they chose to continue serving it for free instead of just stop carrying it at all.
I am flying within Europe next month, I plan to take a couple of hoodies with me for warmth, this may make my carry-on over the weight, as I only take one small carry-on, so when I check in I will be wearing both hoodies unitl I clear security and then in the carry-on they go.
I think passengers ARE voting with their wallets. Has anyone noticed how much air travel is down? Sure the economy is bad, but the extra charges make people think twice about flying when driving is cheaper and less hassle. I know of many people who now drive rather than flying because of these reasons.
The secondary problem is that now that most airlines are charging, more people are trying to stuff bags into the overhead, and the bins are full. So then we wait and wait and wait until the bags are carried back to the front fo the aircraft to be gate checked at no charge. US Air – I’d rather drive. AA – last choice next to US Air and United is right down there onteh bottow for sure.
I’ll stick with Southwest whenever I can. Cattle boarding? I look at it as I get to sit next to someone who looks interesting, or if I want peace and quiet, away from the kids,9 who are now about 1/4 the way back the aircraft, and pick someine who is reading.
I agree that this whole checked bag fee thing is ridiculous, but mainly because I usually travel for short trips with hand luggage and now the overhead lockers are like a massive game of tetris to fit everything in. I checked baggage for the first time in two years with Alaska recently. The fee was $15, which is still $15 too much but not horrific, but I also liked that it came with a guarantee that if the bags weren’t at the carousel in a set time you’d get a future flight credit for $50.
If we are going to be stuck with these fees (which it looks like we will be), I do like that Alaska puts out this very clear guarantee that your luggage will arrive in a timely fashion.
I fear that increasing baggage fees will only lead to increased crowding in the overhead bin as more people try to beat the system and fees with their oversized carryons. The airlines need to step up their checking of carryon bag sizes and how many bags people are actually bringing with them. I’m still seeing people bringing 3 or 4 items with them and plenty of computer cases that are the size of suitcases.
If part of the baggage fee were going to fund improved bag handling (like RFID chips in the tag) or the airline agreed to refund the fees if my bag doesn’t show within an hour of my flight landing (or better yest, refund me double what I paid), I might be a little more supportive than if it were just going to the airline’s bottom line.
The extra charge for luggage on a small airline on a flight within Europe sounds likely to me. The baggage limits for flights are very different from ours. On a flight coming or going to the US, or directly ticketed with a flight to the US, are almost double what is allowed on a separate flight in Europe. Also be aware that your carry on bag may be weighed and tagged to keep from bringing too much stuff on board.
If Choles had space in her checked and carry on bags, she might have repacked the stuff from the third bag into them and saved the charge. Or another way around it is to ship stuff home as you go. I have started out on multi-country trips with the stuff I need, but as I shop and move on, ship the gifts and now unnecessary clothes home so my bags stay manageable. As an example, I needed hot weather clothes in India in October, but needed sweaters and more formal clothes in Paris. The Indian souveniers got wrapped in the summer clothes and mailed home. Not more expensive than extra baggage fees and certainly easier to travel with less stuff.
On the other hand, if you are traveling with a LOT of stuff, be sure to check on the airlines policy for extra baggage. They vary widely. Some require you to make a reservation for extra bags, some allow up to 10 bags per person, with appropriate fees of course. While preparing for dental missions in Africa where we had to carry in our materials, I have learned to check carefully on extra luggage to make sure it travels on the same plane we do.
Life sucks when you have to fly!
I usually fly Continental with no first checked bag fee because I am a 50K flyer. However, at the end of Oct., when Alaska and Continenetal complete their divorce proceedings, I will have to pay the fee when I fly Newark to Bend, OR, just for that last 140 miles. Bummer.
Baggage fees (as long as all unbundling) is here to stay because the prices airlines have to charge to stay competitive are on the whole ridiculously low.
Read anything you can find online on deregulation and you will see what has happened to airline fares in the last 30 years. Travelers have saved hundred of billions of dollars in fares while airlines struggle to survive and put each other out of business. Even with these fees, airlines are losing money due to fares not being able to be set reasonably to cover the costs of transport.
So, Chris, if you are going to fight for re-bundling, then be fighting for re-regulation and the increase of airline fares to reasonable levels at the same time. It only makes sense.
In the first case, I agree that the young lady could have easily repacked her stuff into the 2 bags she had if ,indeed, she was underweight..IF she was on a small commuter flight it is understandable that they would monitor the weight of the luggage carefully..$260. is an expensive lesson.
As for checking luggage and now paying for it…Here’s a tip, you can carry your luggage into Fedex, Ups, or even the Usps, and ship it to where ever it is your destination is prior to departure..Fedex ground works great and they will hold your luggage for pick up or you could have it held at the hotel for you…I’ve been doing this for years without a mishap…Then all I have is my carry on and small handbag ( which fits into the carry on). I avoid the hassle of luggage inspections, lugging the stuff on either end. When I used to travel to our 2nd home, my luggage would be at the door when I arrived or shortly thereafter…Really takes a lot of the hassle of travel away…
Scott,
You say that airlines are losing money and struggling because of deregulation?? I don’t think that is what is happening. Airlines are struggling because of mismanagement and waste. If we had well run efficient airlines then this all wouldn’t be happening. The only thing high oil prices and economic downturn did was to make those airlines that were wasteful to begin with stand out.
On the other hand look at Southwest airlines. They don’t charge for 2 bags with your fare. They have the smallest of fees for ticket changes etc. They are still making a profit and adding new airports. We need more airlines like Southwest.
I look at airlines adding all these new fees as just adding nails to their coffins.
Rest in peace you crappy airlines.
>It’s incumbent on us as passengers to know what these limitations are, and stay within them…for basic safety. I sure don’t want MY flight on a small plane to be rendered less safe because somebody else shows up with more luggage than can safely be carried.
Ummm… no, it’s not our responsibility. First of all, every plane is subject to weight restrictions, even the big ones. Pilots calculate weight and balance before leaving the gate, factoring in the outside temperature and the airfield’s height above sea level. If the plane is too heavy for a safe take-off, they look for volunteers to get off or they take less fuel and fly to a closer destination to get more. No pilot worth her salt is going to fly a plane that’s overweight. It’s not only dangerous, it’s also illegal.
Incidentally, it’s not just your luggage that’s flying on your plane. Airlines take mail and cargo, and the profits are good — good enough that they may offer you a $200 voucher to take the next flight so the mail and cargo aboard your prop-powered Saab 340 can get there on time.
Baggage fees have nothing, nothing, *nothing* at all to do with safety, and that doesn’t change if the airline is flying an Boeing 747 or a Piper Aztec. Baggage fees, particularly those first/second bag charged, are all about profit, pure and simple. They’re a way for airlines to rank higher in “sort by price” searches while actually charging a higher fare. They are deceitful and wrong, and I refuse to pay them whenever possible. My FF status makes me exempt from fees on American, but whenever possible I give my business to Southwest and JetBlue — honest companies that advertise honest fares.
Rant over. Interesting geeky note: Planes are intentionally designed to be able to carry more passengers, cargo and fuel than they can safely take off with. This gives the operators the flexibility to choose between a high passenger/cargo load with less range (fuel), or a longer range with less passengers and cargo.
I just returned yesterday from a flight from Norfolk, Va to Key West, Fl and back. After dealing with rude airline employees and rude TSA employees I’ve decided I do not care what the airlines charge anymore for the flight itself, the meals or the luggage. I’ll be driving from now on so I won’t have to put up with any of them. Advice to the folks at the airlines and TSA, if you really hate your job as much as you appear to, perhaps you need to find a new one.
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