Think the Fuel Charge is bad check this out....

[boaterette]

Well with the shift to less lugage I can see formal nights going by the wayside. People aren't going to want to pay to carry extra luggage just to transport formal clothes. Cruising will probably become real relaxed in the dress up department.

[Kurbanfan]

I told her I wasn't about to start pulling dirty socks out in front of God and everybody so she was just gonna have to charge the extra. She was actually ticked by this but finally, after I refused repeatedly did so. At that point it was a matter of principal. I wasn't going to let them dictate the terms. I boarded that plane with a smile! Of course the smile was quickly washed away after the screaming kid sat down next row back, but that is another story!

 

Sounds like karma to me:p

[grandprixone]

I notice people said we are just catching up with Europe, while it may be true to an extent, all of the blame can not be laid there. There are several factors which probably pushed United to this.

 

Lets start with the Europe comments. In Europe, there are many many more smaller low cost airlines which operate along the line of jetBlue. The most known of which is probably Ryan Air. They only charge 10pounds for a ticket, but u have to pay to take bags, buy a drink, etc etc. This is the way the Europeans have delt with fuel prices, which have been MUCH higher then our own over the years, and our domestic airlines are starting to head that way due to the fuel prices also.

 

Our Legacy carriers (United, Delta, American...etc) have been stuck in their ways when you look at the management side of the business, and this has cost them. The extra charge on the baggage is only a small patch on a dam which is cracked. None of them have fuel hedges left, and are for the most part buying fuel at market price. Southwest is the only major carrier left with a fuel hedge, and i think that runs out this year, so their prices will most likely be going up. The management for the airlines can be very complicated and eat alot of money in and of themselves. They also are notorious for making bad decisions. check out airlinepilotcentral.com and look at their forums if you want some examples from pilots.

 

Now to the inflight reasons for the price increase. If you are willing to pay the $25 for your extra bag, they are fine with that because it helps offset cost, and if enough people do it, they make a profit from the additional fee. If you and most of the people who usually take more baggage on the plane decide they dont want to spend the extra $25, management can make basically 1 of 2 decisions. If they dont have the extra luggage on the aircraft, the aircraft is then lighter, able to fly faster when reconfigured, and burn less fuel. But the more profitable decision may be to put more cargo on the aircraft in the form of low priority cargo and mail. The airlines have contracts to fly cargo and stuff in the empty space in the aircraft you are on. The less luggage, the more room for extremely profitable cargo to go on.

 

I dont think it is even possible to go into complete detail on why and how the airlines are dealing with fuel price increases and management decisions on this board.

 

 

PS: The 23 year old in the right seat of your 80 pax regional carrier only makes 19K a year, dont give him a hard time :)

[belle907]

Well with the shift to less lugage I can see formal nights going by the wayside. People aren't going to want to pay to carry extra luggage just to transport formal clothes. Cruising will probably become real relaxed in the dress up department.

Either that or they will really start pushing the tux rentals.

[surfklutz]

Spirit Airlines charges for all bags you check.

[njs]

Even if I had one bag over it is still cheaper than paying $5.00 pp/pd X2 for an 8 day cruise! So no, in the context of the original tagline, I don't think it is worse than the fuel surcharge! When we flew to Maui, we bought almost zero garbage while there and what we did purchase went in the carry on bag. That same checked bag with the same stuff in it was not overweight when we left SAN, but was somehow overweight when we left Maui. They wanted me to stop right then and repack our bags, in the terminal while holding everyone up in the line. I was so ticked off by the attitude I asked how much the "fine" was for an overweight bag. As I recall it was something like $25.00. I handed her my card and she didn't want to take it. I told her I wasn't about to start pulling dirty socks out in front of God and everybody so she was just gonna have to charge the extra. She was actually ticked by this but finally, after I refused repeatedly did so. At that point it was a matter of principal. I wasn't going to let them dictate the terms. I boarded that plane with a smile! Of course the smile was quickly washed away after the screaming kid sat down next row back, but that is another story!

 

DH had the same problem flying out west last month. But they told him his carry-on was overweight - they made him take some items out to put in a bag:confused: to carry separately ( They had already checked in his luggage and sent it down the conveyer!!!) So he put the offending arcticles in a bag, went down the walkway a bit, and then put the bag back in his carry-on:D Go figure

[dec2007w3boys]

Skybus - based in Columbus charges $5 each for the first two checked bags and then $50 each for any over two. Also the first 10 seats sold on each flight are $10. If you see the resemblence to RyanAir - you get exactly what SKybus based its business model off of.

 

We flew with them non-stop to FLL for our November cruise. Lucky me had the 10 tickets for each way. So, for $240 total with taxes, all six of us in my family flew to FLL. YOu didn't hear me complaining about the $20 extra for the four bags we checked each way.

[mjbearit]

Sounds like karma to me:p

Not really, after about 10 minutes my wife said "Why are you smiling?"... My answer "It's not my child!"

[jandjfun]

I don't mind paying an extra fee for extra luggage. I wish they would also charge for each carry on. If people would check their stuff, we might be able to depart on time!

[njs]

I don't mind paying an extra fee for extra luggage. I wish they would also charge for each carry on. If people would check their stuff, we might be able to depart on time!

 

I guess you are one of those lucky travellers who has never lost luggage. Im glad for carry-on~ it means I still have something if my luggage is lost

DH has a $3,000 CPAP machine for sleep apnea. No way that or meds or computers are going in checked luggage

[kato92]

Some of the cheap airlines already charge you. Spirit charges $5.00 per bag right now.

 

Actually Spirit charges $10 per bag for the 1st 2 bags and $100 thereafter, if purchased at the airport. If purchased ahead of time, it is $5 per bag for the 1st 2.

Spirit is also raising the price later this month to $20/10 per bag.

 

BUT Spirit still has the best airfare prices.:)

[Kurbanfan]

I don't mind paying an extra fee for extra luggage. I wish they would also charge for each carry on. If people would check their stuff, we might be able to depart on time!

 

Our last flight out of Dallas we sat at the gate for a hour and a half because they were waiting for the checked luggage to be put on our plane:rolleyes:

Then when we arrived in San Juan there were about 10 of us whose luggage was not on our plane.......

If we pay do you think it will guarantee not to get lost:rolleyes:

[mprucha]

I read this yesterday too and we all know it's a matter of time before all the airlines follow suit cause it's a great revenue for them. Anyway, could be worse. $25 isn't all that bad

[deborahjo]

Our last flight out of Dallas we sat at the gate for a hour and a half because they were waiting for the checked luggage to be put on our plane:rolleyes:

Then when we arrived in San Juan there were about 10 of us whose luggage was not on our plane.......

If we pay do you think it will guarantee not to get lost:rolleyes:

 

That brings up awhole new idea. If we have to pay for the airlines to load our luggage what guarantee do we get. Insurance.....

[linda_22003]

How much stuff do people pack? I've never checked more than one bag in my life.

 

Even when I went to England.

 

For a year. :o

[njs]

[quote name='Kurbanfan']Our last flight out of Dallas we sat at the gate for a hour and a half because they were waiting for the [B][I]checked[/I] [/B]luggage to be put on our plane:rolleyes:
Then when we arrived in San Juan there were about 10 of us whose luggage was not on our plane.......
If we pay do you think it will guarantee not to get lost:rolleyes:[/quote]

good point:D

[DCcruising]

We usually have a small suitcase apiece, and we put all of our toiletries and makeup in my makeup bag. So the makeup bag has to get checked now because you can't take liquids on the plane, and no way will our family be able to survive on tiny 3 ounce bottles of sunblock, lotion, mouthwash or shampoo for a trip. So my DH and I were joking that with United, we would probably check the makeup bag, and bring the small suitcase on board with us instead. Another carrier to cross off my list.

[Earthworm Jim]

It seems to me this will just push people to carry on more of their luggage, and I'm not sure why they'd want to encourage that. Everyone having the maximum amount of carry on luggage just slows down boarding and deplaning, which you would think would cost them money in the end since time is money.

[Earthworm Jim]

[quote name='linda_22003']How much stuff do people pack? I've never checked more than one bag in my life.

Even when I went to England.

For a year. :o[/quote]

You nudists have it easy.;)

[mjbearit]

[quote name='Kurbanfan']Our last flight out of Dallas we sat at the gate for a hour and a half because they were waiting for the [B][I]checked[/I] [/B]luggage to be put on our plane:rolleyes:
Then when we arrived in San Juan there were about 10 of us whose luggage was not on our plane.......
If we pay do you think it will guarantee not to get lost:rolleyes:[/quote]
I think of it not so much as that it is a guarantee not to get lost so much as them recouping lost revenue. Afterall, my luggage has logged far more airtime than I have! It's even been to cities I've never seen! ;)

[linda_22003]

[quote name='Earthworm Jim']You nudists have it easy.;)[/quote]

You've never spent a January in England, have you? :p

[rodder1971]

[quote name='Legend']Southwest started it actually

Baggage Allowance: Beginning January 29, 2008, Southwest will allow two (2) checked pieces of baggage per ticketed Customer. Size and weight limitations apply.

Excess Baggage: Effective January 29, 2008, you may check a third bag for a charge of $25. Your 4th through 9th bag or item will incur a charge of $50 per piece, and any bag or item thereafter will be $110 per piece.[/quote]

Hi Legend.

If you notice Southwest went from 3 bags to 2....Not 2 to one. The other airlines were already charging for more than 2.

Robin

[Gypsywych]

If people stop flying United (who is not one of the 'cheap' airlines), they will get the message that this is unacceptable. Vote with your feet people, fly with some one else.

[stanford's girl]

[quote name='deborahjo']United will now start charging $25.00 per bag for every bag after the first one. If I could link I would. Is on the front of MSN Home Page. This really sucks.[/quote]
[FONT=Arial][SIZE=4][COLOR=blue]That is just ridiculous!!! :mad: :mad: [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial][SIZE=4][COLOR=#0000ff][/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Arial][SIZE=4][COLOR=#0000ff]The only way I could take one bag is if I went on a nude cruise ........... and it would be filled with shoes!! LOL[/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[DiveCruiser]

[quote name='deborahjo']United will now start charging $25.00 per bag for every bag after the first one. If I could link I would. Is on the front of MSN Home Page. This really sucks.[/quote]
Here is the link [URL]http://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-bz.united05feb05,0,6624866.story[/URL]