Voice Your Opinion about Airline Baggage Fees
To offset rising fuel cost, airlines have begun charging for baggage. Most airlines have implemented fees for your second checked bag with some charging a fee for your first checked bag. Voice your thoughts on these additional fees.
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Listed below are visitors responses to the question.
Instead of charging for CHECKED luggage, the airlines should charge for CARRY-ONS! Some passengers try to stuff things the size of a small car in the bins or under the seat. Without those, the flight would be much more comfortable, boarding and deplaning would take a quarter of the time, and going through security would take no time at all!
By: Robert Fischer
At: 07/16/2008 19:35:52: PM
I can tolerate being charged for a checked second bag, but paying for checking one bag is just plain gouging. The airlines won't allow certain items in carry-on bags, limit the size of a carry-on, and now, they want to charge us to check a bag with necessities in it. That's just completely outrageous. I had become more and more disallusioned with airline and traveling by air when they ceased offering even the cardboard meals on long flights, crammed more people into smaller seats to increase their bottom-line, and now, they want even more for less.
I will not be flying anytime soon, if ever again. Look for railroad travel and bus travel to increase and hopefully, improve in the near future.
By: Hope Samworth
At: 07/16/2008 18:59:27: PM
I have a 6 lb Yorkie. His "ticket" cost right at $300!!! NO ONE EVER TOUCHES HIM BUT ME. HE COUNTS as a carry on and it now cost $100 each way plus phone charge because he has to have permission via phone as I'm ready to click to reserve seat. Must have health certificate from vet within 10 days of travel - never been asked for it but sure if I don't have it they will. That means "ticket" for 6 lbs is right at $300!!!
By: beady Moore
At: 07/16/2008 17:19:52: PM
Then go for airlines that charging for the second checked-in bag unless the air fares is cheap enough to offset the charges.. It's all demand and supply philosophy.
By: Travel Feeder
At: 07/16/2008 01:54:54: AM
Airlines may be charging extra fees instead of raising ticket prices so they can remain compe!#$@^&*ive in searches. Ryanair and others have unbundled charges for some time. The writing is on the wall but don’t despair. You can “lighten up” in ways that give you benefits instead of fits. Lightweight travel is safer and easier than carrying a heavy load of things you don’t need.
In four decades of advising people what to pack, the common thread is that they aren’t sure what to take, so they take too much. My husband and I have been traveling overseas on long trips since 1971. We take only carry-on bags that each weigh 15 to 17 pounds full. and we dress well. People kept asking how we did it so I published two books (see my dot com) that show how. If we can do it for months-long trips, many others can do it for shorter ones.
By: Barbara DesChamps
At: 07/11/2008 19:19:21: PM
I think it is ridiculous that airlines are charging for checked bags. The TSA rules regarding liquids has made it so difficult to carry on bags that travelers are forced to check bags. Now some airlines are charging for checking any luggage. It is bad business and I will not travel on any airline that charges me for the first checked bag...American!
By: Bonnie King
At: 07/08/2008 12:46:10: PM
Clients are IRRATE about this policy and say "quit nickel and diming us to death and just raise the cost of the ticket and give us better service!"
I totally agree.
By: Donna Mantie
At: 07/03/2008 11:52:44: AM
I can see paying a nominal fee for a second checked bag. However paying for a first checked bag will only encourage people to carry all their luggage on board and add to the already over-stuffed overhead bins. Will luggage that is gate-checked because there is no more room be subject to a fee? I think there will be many more disgruntled passengers.
By: Michael Paulos
At: 06/25/2008 22:01:38: PM
This is absolutely ridiculous! They need to think of another way to offset the fuel issue. Soon they will be charging for the air we breath on the plane and regulating the times you can use the bathroom.
By: annoyed
At: 06/14/2008 17:47:01: PM
Since you have no choice when traveling but to pack a bag because of the restrictions on liquid, I feel it is wrong to charge for the first checked bag. If you are traveling for longer than a week, packing in one suitcase is next to impossible.
By: Anonymous
At: 06/14/2008 11:52:11: AM
The future of travel, I can see it so clearly. No one checks luggage but sends UPS weeks ahead of time. And, we all go through security !#$@^&* to spend things up.
If fuel cost more, charge for it but luggage, come on.
By: Libby Castellanos
At: 06/11/2008 12:34:25: PM
This is absurd! If you have to raise prices, do so, but luggage is part and parcel of flying. Leave it as it is: two bags checked per person. It's bad enough that the airlines have cut out any semblence of food, now it's our clothes! What next, bathroom charges?
By: agnes sax
At: 06/10/2008 09:24:33: AM
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