More Airlines to Charge for Carry-On Bags?

Discussion in 'General Discussion | Travel' started by Seacarl, Jun 6, 2012.

    • Original Member

    Seacarl Gold Member

    Article in the NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/05/b...-fee-for-oversized-carry-ons-on-the-road.html

    It seems almost inevitable that the airlines will be charging for carry-on bags. Maybe they will start by charging for bags that don't fit sizers, than for ones that have to be gate checked, then for all second bags... But the quotes from the airlines in this article make it clear that it's on the way.

    I hope that the legacies will at least exempt the elite frequent flyers.
    sobore and jbcarioca like this.
    • Original Member

    rwoman Gold Member

    Existing thread:

    http://milepoint.com/forums/threads/would-fees-discourage-oversized-carry-on-bags.37440/
    :)
    jbcarioca likes this.
    • Original Member

    milchap Gold Member

    :eek: Are they expecting pax to fly without luggage ?
    • Original Member

    Seacarl Gold Member

    They are copying the Spirit model - you will pay for luggage whether it is in the belly or in the bins.
    jbcarioca likes this.
    • Original Member

    milchap Gold Member

    .....then have a surcharge for overweight pax....:p
    • Original Member

    HaveMilesWillTravel Gold Member

    Cargo pants and jackets will become very popular. :)
  1. wrxmom Gold Member

    basiface likes this.
    • Original Member

    HaveMilesWillTravel Gold Member

    thegrailer and jbcarioca like this.
  2. wrxmom Gold Member

    LOVE the fleece jacket, been wanting to get one of those for a few years.

    I'm getting the other Scott eVest one since it's a "gift."
    • Original Member

    milchap Gold Member

    • Original Member

    thegrailer Silver Member

    How heavy is this jacket? Spring/Fall? Under or over a separate coat?

    Cheers

    • Original Member

    LETTERBOY Silver Member

    Don't elites on the various legacy airlines already have exemptions from a lot of baggae fees?
    • Original Member

    global_happy_traveller Silver Member

    they expect us to fly naked........ the optional clothing will save them $$$$$$$!
  3. Photonerd71 Silver Member

    Yes.
    • Original Member

    Seacarl Gold Member

    Yes, but elites generally aren't exempt from change fees and the carry-on fee could get rules different than baggage fees. Also, the airlines have been starting to cut the bag fee exemption - for example Silvers only get 1 free bag now. Luckily *A Gold specifies 3 free bags, and I would expect that to apply for Gold and above.
  4. basiface Silver Member

    If I believed that they'd leave it at oversized bags (which should have been checked in the first place) then I wouldn't have a problem with this, but I don't. Other than AA every major U.S. airline made a profit last year so this is just greed at it's finest. A lot of the congestion of boarding could be avoided if people would simply follow the other rule of putting their bags in wheels first instead of horizontally like I see folks doing over and over again. They could probably get another 3 or 4 regular sized bags on if people would use common sense (which isn't common), have courtesy for the guy on the bridge and put their bags in right.
    • Original Member

    HaveMilesWillTravel Gold Member



    Look at the airline industry over the long term. It's not a very profitable industry.
    Liucoke and LETTERBOY like this.
    • Original Member

    LETTERBOY Silver Member

    Airlines aren't charities, they're businesses - they're supposed to make profits.
    • Original Member

    chitownflyer Silver Member

    My concern with this article is that it represents another attempt by the airlines to extract more fees from customers. It is not reasonable to expect passengers to travel without luggage. I could forsee a situation where bags that easily fit in the overhead bin will be denied being carried onto the plane as they do fit the sizers, even though their measurments do meet the airline definition of allowed carry ons. Bags always get bigger once items are placed inside them.
    • Original Member

    HaveMilesWillTravel Gold Member

    But it's also not reasonable to expect airlines (or rather, their shareholders) to accept a negative bottom line just because we want cheap travel.

    I agree, though, that a reasonable amount of carry-on space should be provided for each traveler as part of the ticket.

    Very much depends on how you pack them (and how much you pack into them). The regulations aren't for an empty bag, they are for the bag as packed by the traveler.
    LETTERBOY likes this.
    • Original Member

    chitownflyer Silver Member

    With regards to the size of a bag with contents, I am referring to the bag NOT being expanded, just filled with items. I also have heard some unpleasant stories of how sizers often do not account for wheels, which tends to be the case in Europe.
  5. basiface Silver Member

    I'm quite aware of that. My point is thay they can now make profits without trying to nickel and dime passengers on everything they can. When all of these fee's came into place it was because they were losing money hand over foot and they needed to find new sources of income, but now it's not the case. If they want to make more money and are too lazy to find in house ways to do then they should just raise the fares. I'd rather pay a higher base fare than get hustled around every corner during my trip. Car companies need profits too, but we don't see them charging extra for spare tires do we? (Granted I never understood that destination fee they charge:))
  6. basiface Silver Member

    • Original Member

    anabolism Gold Member

    I've said all along that, in my view, the airlines blew it by charging for checked bags but allowing carry-on free. That lead to everyone cramming as much as they could into the bins, airlines hiring staff to size bags before security (so they get checked as normal instead of for free at gate or on plane), slow boarding and replacing, and general hassle for frequent flyers.

    What they should have done, and still could, is allow one checked bag free but charge for all carry-ons. No question of sizer or not (that just slows things down and leads to arguments). Planes would board and deplane quicker, allowing for faster turns and more duty cycles per day.

    A "Classic" fare package could offer, for say $25, free two checked and carry-on bags, and seat selection. A "Good-old-Days" package for maybe $100 could offer two free checked and carry-on bags, seat selection, any seat in coach, no change fee (but fare difference), and a free meal.
    • Original Member

    sobore Gold Member

    I'm still looking foe the person that travels without luggage. Spirit had some nice fares to FL, but after factoring in luggage (carrty-on or checked) the price became goofy.
    I see free fares coming with fees to board the plane, seatbelt use and a tray access fee.:rolleyes::mad:
    HaveMilesWillTravel likes this.

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