Baggage

(Dive Travel Business News - April 14, 2010) -- What can we say? Airlines really don't want to have any customers when you hear the round-up of bizarre customer service behaviour we're reporting below. Let's hope this doesn't catch on and go global...

Last week the small Florida airline, Spirit Airlines Inc. became the first airline to announce it would charge up to $45 to put a carryon in an overhead bin starting August 1, 2010.  Spirit airlines really, really, really wants you to like its carry-on baggage fees. Is this the Spirit of flight, the spirit of customer service or the spirit of greed? Check out the article.

In the wake of Spirit's announcement, earlier this week two Democratic U.S. Senators introduced legislation that would ban airlines from charging fees for bags carried aboard planes. "We cannot allow these flood gates to open." remarked Senator Ben Cardin.  Read the article here. read more »

(Dive Travel Business News - Feb 3, 2010) -- Don't get caught off guard by tthe differences in air lines baggage policies. LuggageLimits.com  is an  ambitious new site built to help the travel industry and their clients determine baggage limits and fees for a specific airline they fly. The site is built around a central database that picks out what you can expect in terms of luggage limits, by matching your airline with your departure and arrival airports.

Once you choose your airline, a bunch of general information gets displayed, both as a broad description and in boxes with specific information. At the top there's a drop-down box where for setting airline-specific ticket class, which reflects the idiosyncratic options of each company.

Currently there are 139 airlines in the database including the recent addition of Avianca, Cayman Airways, LIAT, TACA, Bahamasair, and Copa Airlines. Visit LuggageLimits.com for details.

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(DiveTravelBusinessNews.com - January 19, 2010) -- For tickets purchase on or after Feb1, American Airlines is increasing its checked bag charges to $25 for the first checked bag and $35 for the second checked bag, payable at the airport on the day of travel. American had been charging $20 and $30, respectively.

Baggage charges apply to travel within the United States, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on American Airlines, American Eagle and AmericanConnection flights. As before, American's top customers are exempt from these checked bag charges. Among the exemptions to the charges are American's elite AAdvantage members, full-fare customers, confirmed passengers in the First or Business Class cabin, those traveling on military fares, and other travelers booked on the same record locator as the premium customer.

American’s move follows similar fee hikes by US Airways, Delta Air Lines, Continental Airlines and United Airlines. For more information, visit www.aa.com.

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(DiveTravelBusinessNews - Dec 1, 2009) -- Luggagelimits.com is an ambitious new site built around a central database that picks out what you can expect by matching your airline with your departure and arrival airports. Once you choose your airline, a bunch of general information gets displayed, both as a broad description and in boxes with specific information. At the top there's a drop-down box where for setting airline-specific ticket class, which reflects the idiosyncratic options of each company. Visit LugggageLimits here.
 

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(DiveTravelNewswire.com - Oct 12, 2009) - Airlines may not arbitrarily limit compensation for passengers who purchase necessities because their baggage is lost or delayed, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) said in a newly issued notice.

In its notice, the Department’s Aviation Enforcement Office said that a number of carriers have policies stating that they will reimburse passengers only for buying necessities purchased more than 24 hours after arrival and limiting such reimbursements to the outbound legs of trips. This is in violation of DOT regulations which require that airlines cover all expenses caused by lost or delayed baggage up to $3,300 per passenger on domestic flights, DOT said.

“Travelers should not have to pay for toiletries or other necessities while they wait for baggage misplaced by airlines,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood. “We expect airlines to comply with all of our regulations and will take enforcement action if they do not.” read more »

(April 22, 2008 - New York Times) -- Five of the six major airlines in the United States plan to start charging coach passengers as much as $25 next month to check a second bag, the latest move in their quest to offset high fuel prices.

The new fee of $25 for a second bag is being levied by Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways. The low-fare carrier AirTran has announced that it will charge $10 for a second checked bag. Airlines have long levied fees for checking a third bag. Some carriers have recently increased those as well, and the fees on the major carriers now run as high as $100. read more »

(May 22, 2008 - Travel Agent Central) -- The American Society of Travel Agents has advised agents of an increase in American Airlines (AA) change fees as well as new fees for first checked bags. They note that AA has also increased its change fee by $50.

In most cases, ASTA says, the new domestic change fee is now $150. International change fees vary by destination. For example, the typical change fee to the Caribbean is $150 and the typical change fee to Europe Airline Exchange Policy ASTA.org. is $250. Agents are advised to verify the applicable change fee as provided in the fare rule applicable at the time of ticketing. To see a summary of airline change fees and restrictions, go to ASTA’s chart, go to

ASTA also recapped new AA rules on baggage fees. They note that customers who purchase domestic economy class tickets on or after June 15, 2008 will be charged $15 each way ($30 roundtrip) for the first checked bag. read more »

(May 16, 2008 - Travel Weekly) -- The Department of Transportation will begin requiring airlines and travel agents to disclose fees for checking a second bag in their Internet and print ads and before anyone purchases a ticket.

All of the U.S. hub-and-spoke carriers have begun charging coach passengers a $25 fee for checking a second bag.

Fee disclosure for second bags was one of two new consumer-protection rules addressed today by Transportation Secretary Mary Peters. She also said the DOT issued a final rule to require airlines to report new and more complete data on the time passengers spend on the tarmac. Peters said that in the past, airlines sometimes did not have to disclose how long aircraft were delayed after leaving the gate.

The new rule will require airlines to provide complete on-time and tarmac delay data about flights that may depart from a gate more than once, flights that are canceled after having left the gate and flights that are diverted to another airport.

“Passengers should know whether it will take as long for their flight to get to the runway as it will to land at their destination,” Peters said. read more »

June 12, 2008 (DTB) -- United Airlines said it will charge a service fee of $15 to check one bag for domestic travel each way, following American’s move to do the same last month. The fee to check three or more bags, overweight bags or items that require special handling will increase from $100 to $125 or from $200 to $250, depending on the item.

These changes apply to customers who purchase a ticket on or after June 13, 2008, for travel within the U.S. and to/from Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands on or after Aug. 18, 2008. The $15 service fee does not apply to customers who are flying in United First or United Business or who have premier status with United or Star Alliance.

United said that record-breaking oil prices mandated the move and that the service fee probably will apply to one out of three customers. According to the airline, the potential revenue from baggage handling service fees, including those for checking a first and second bag, will be approximately $275 million a year. read more »