Airlines that charge for a second bag

[scubadog76]

How bad does this suck for divers!!


Mon Apr 21, 6:15 PM ET



Whether traveling for business or pleasure, airline passengers might want to think twice about how much they bring along for the ride, starting next month.

ADVERTISEMENT

Five of the seven major US airlines (Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, and US Air) plan to charge most customers $25 each way to check a second bag starting May 5. Of the largest carriers, only American and Southwest have decided not to go along - for now. Airtran is adding a $10 second bag fee for travel on or after May 15. Spirit Airlines already had a $10 fee if paid online, or $20 at the airport.


But the new fees do not apply to all passengers, advises Airfarewatchdog.com. Those buying first-class or business-class tickets, or flying on frequent flyer awards in those classes, will typically be exempt, as will frequent-flyer program members who have achieved upper tiers with their airlines (such as United Mileage Plus Premier customers). Military personnel flying "with orders" are off the hook.

These fees are in addition to those for excess, oversized and overweight bags, so a passenger traveling on United, for example, with three checked bags weighing 50 pounds or less will be charged $25 for the second but $100 for the third.


But if any of the three bags tips the scale at 51 pounds or more, overweight charges of an additional $100 per bag, each way, kick in. So unless otherwise exempt, a passenger flying roundtrip on United with three bags weighing just a pound over the 50-pound limit would be charged $200 for the first ($100 overweight fee each way), $250 for the second (second bag fee of $25 times two plus overweight fee of $100 times two), and $400 for the third (a $100 third bag fee times two plus a $100 overweight fee times two), for a total - fasten your seat belts - of $850.


Keep in mind that these are domestic fees, and international charges may be higher, depending on destination.


A better way


There must be a better way, and there is: UPS, US Postal Service, or FedEx. Flying from your home in Manhattan to a convention in Long Beach? UPS will send your 51 pounds of trade-show samples each way for $59.34, when last checked at ups.com, with four-day service. Or ship that 60-pound suitcase from Miami to San Francisco for $63.78 each way.


Not only will you avoid having to lug your luggage through endless airport concourses, but chances are that UPS will do a better job of not losing your shipment than your airline will (and if UPS does misplace it, at least the company will feel bad about it.)


Although Pete Mitchell, director of business-to-business sales for the luggage manufacturer Samsonite, told the New York Times he often travels with one-of-a-kind items because he is reluctant to send them via a shipping service, he probably didn't read the fine print in his airline's lost-and-damaged-luggage policy. Airline policies don't cover business samples and trade-show materials if something goes amiss. They're in the same category as cash, valuables, jewelry, and electronics.


What airline baggage policies don't cover


At least when you ship FedEx or UPS, you can declare a higher value and insure your business items. In fact, before you pack for your next flight, it's a good idea to have a look at what your airline will not take responsibility for should your checked bags be lost or damaged. Here's American's list, for example, which is pretty standard for the industry:

"Antiques, artifacts, artwork, books and documents, china, computers and other electronic equipment, computer software, fragile items (including child/infant restraint devices such as strollers and car seats), eyeglasses, prescription sunglasses, non-prescription sunglasses and all other eyewear and eye/vision devices whether lenses are glass, plastic, or some other material, furs, heirlooms, items carried in the passenger compartment of the aircraft, liquids, medicines, money, perishable items, photographic, video and optical equipment, precious metals, stones or jewelry, securities and negotiable papers, silverware, samples, unique or irreplaceable items or any other similar valuable items."


Note the "samples" bit, all you road warriors.


United excludes these items as well, and also mentions "business effects" in its disclaimer - which probably includes your press kits and all those fridge magnets you were going to give away at the trade show.


So tell your airline "No, thanks," next time it tries to hit you with baggage fees. Plan ahead, tell your hotel (or branch office or family) that you're expecting a shipment and to hold it until your arrival, and save yourself some money and a backache.

[timm_hagen]

I am glad I saw this because I am diving in Florida come May 12 and was bring 2 sets of gear down, but since I bought my ticket back in Feb and I am flying NWA I am excempt....whew that was close!!!!

Goood thing NWA allows you to carry 2 carry-ons.....ohhh excuse me 1 carry-on and 1 personal bag(aka purse or man bag....lol)  ;D.

Also for NWA this is only applies to flights in North America/Mexico/Car, so travel abroad hasn't been effected.....so far!!!


But in all fairness the price of tickets has stayed about the same over the past 10 to 15 years at least to major destinations(FL, MX, LV, NY), with the price of fuel going up I can't image what the price of aviation fuel is these days.  What the airlines are doing is trying to keep the prices at about the same cost for the people that are traveling for quick trips or those that are light packers, and for those that need more checked luggage costing them about $50 more.  I believe the third bag for NWA was previously $75 each way so it really has only gone up the additional $25 too.  I am not trying to defend the airlines but they could have jacked the price up for everyone and left the luggage amounts the same.  I know I have traveled with No checked luggage and only a carry-on as I was making a quick trip out to New York for a day and driving a car back home....In that instance I am glad they decided to tier the luggage levels instead of jacking the price all around.  So in either case if I am diving and need the additional luggage amounts I am going to be hit with the higher cost either way.

[DiveCaptDean]

They COULD have not given their ceo a $20,000,000.00 bonus to stay on and help them through yet another reorganization bankruptcy.  Or they could focus on taking care of their employees so that the company overall provides much better customer service thus resulting in a better experience for the traveler.  I have flown 3 time sort of recently..all with NW...each time my bag was lost..twice..my connecting flight to Duluth was not made..of course..the last of the evening...each time i was offered a discount coupon to be used on my next full fare booking with NW.  Imagine my joy.  Oh of course they would cover my hotel, but would not take that money and put it towards a rental car..because staying overnight was not an option for me.  I would like to see some of the ffat cut....more focus on doing what they are paid for and a look taken at what their inital goals were comapared to where they stand currently.  Quit over booking flights...if someone doesnt make their initial flight..tough shit..get up earlier like the rest of us..you lose your money.  If it is the fault of the arline..then..they pay the price...and yes..mechanical issues are the airline responsibility...acts of God are not, but some consessions must be made on both parties behalf...

AAHHHHHH sorry..just venting...i know they are busy, but NW is the only airline i have ever had a problem with..once with delta years ago, but nothing like my experience with our local carrier..

Shut up Deano!
ok :'(

[timm_hagen]

I am not going to start a flame war as this is not what the post was about.

[arcFlash]

Maybe Delta will be better. If they pull MSP as a hub say goodbye to direct flights to the Caribbean.

Basic cost from a quit webscan:
Jet fuel is $3.45 today so a flight in a DC9-30 (from Boeing.com)list 80 passenger for 1635mile cost $12,692 for fuel or $158 per passenger one way. Without crew, cargo or luggage.

Tax on a ticket can be over 50%.

Everyone uses the same luggage system at an airport. It's impossible for everyone to have their own sorting system. DOT numbers show 3 of 1000 get lost.

[JBPearson]

:-\ As if on cue...

[popolarbear]

awsome tips. i would add that i had this same problem recently. i brought 10people down to southern florida and brought all gear myself. if you ship fedex keep in mind that the declared value is not the same thing as insurance. there are very specific requirements that must be met in regards to how an item was packed to be acceptable... it is a great convienience to ship your heavy stuff and have it waiting at your hottel...

what you may not have realized is that these airlines make some exceptions for sporting goods. i also had a 6ft long trolling motor wraped up in cardboard, they said it exceedeed the size. unless it was sporting goods related...which it was... we had alteast 3 bags a person. repacking we were able to carry on one maxed out carry on and one check on just under the 50lb limit, and only got fined for one excess....

before you go, document all your equipement well. photograph everything, and take serrial numbers of cammeras ect. contact your homeowners insurance and check your policy. mine covered like 20,000 after a 500 deductable. (at that point if some one stole something youd be hopeing they took it all!).. mine also covered late luggage in the event i had to temporaraly get replacement gear it was covered.

my sister bought her trip on a amex card which gave her a ton of travel insurance related perks.(that alone would be worth the membership). when her lugage was lost.  she simply bought new gear, and it was 100%(i think) covered. latter she got her gear deliverd back home and she gave it away as it was all extra gear!!!!

[Roger Southwick]

Has anyone successfully used a company such as UPS for shipping dive gear to a vacation destination?  Have you found any helpful tips to share?

I'm heading to Cozumel in March, and the baggage fees (according to the ) for a 70lb roller bag with dive gear would be around $240 each way -- almost $1000 for 2 people, nearly doubling the cost of the airfare.

[jasondbaker]

What kind of gear are you hauling to Coz?  I looked at the AA website and couldn't figure out how you calculated $240 in baggage charges. 

I dragged a full set of gear (for single tank scuba) plus a large camera rig across Africa and Europe last fall with little trouble (except for Czech airlines).  It took a bit of creative packing though.

Most of my scuba gear and clothes were in checked luggage -- 49lbs.  I had a thinktank roller bag full of camera gear and dive gear -- over 30lbs.  Then I had a thinktank computer bag as my personal item full of camera gear.

None of the airlines really questioned my carry on bag because it was a smaller roller bag and could fit in the overhead compartment.  Total weight for me with all three pieces was close to 100lb.  The key is don't draw attention to yourself. 

[Roger Southwick]

Here's what I end up bringing, and my interpretation of the AA website:
1st checked bag (free): hardsided case with some camera gear, strobes, housing - 35lb
2nd checked bag ($30): dive gear, clothing, strobe arms, chargers - 70lb (+$60 for >50lb, +$150 for >62in)
carryon (free): cameras, dive computers

I like your suggestion of not drawing attention to myself, but that's something I've never been good at doing.  I just look guilty.  :-[

On a scheduled Delta flight last July, the excess fees would have totaled over $400 were it not for the special scuba gear rate of just $300.  The trip was cancelled due to a hurricane so I never got to see if the rule was enforced.

Guess it's time to get creative....  Thanks for the suggestions.