Can Airlines Change Luggage Rules After Ticket Purchase??

[Bill From PA]

I tried a search in the (pdf) CoC and nothing shows up for fuel surcharge. Airlines could amend the terms of the CoC and add a fuel surcharge but that may cross the line.

This is something else some carriers are considering. The idea is that you reserve a seat on flight 999 for $100, all you get for this is a place on the plane. At sometime closer to the actual flight you get hit with the cost of fuel calculated on prices at that instant. When you make your ressie, you have no way of knowing what fuel will cost on the date you fly, so you have no idea what the final cost of your flight will be when you buy your ticket.

Bill From PA

 

[Jestocost]

You have the right to a refund, if you don't want to agree to the new terms.

That's also true, although Delta's CofC refers to a refund being available for material changes. I'm guessing that arguments vis a vis materiality come up frequently in discussions with the airlines over refund requests.

 

[crashbb]

It could be worse...you could be flying BA out of Heathrow and be allowed NO baggage!

Thanks to a series of goofs in their brand new terminal, flights were going without any baggage (people were forced to send their baggage back home by cab, if someone hadn't dropped them off). They were lucky I suppose - at least their flights weren't canceled (many were).

On topic - I do agree that Delta is not handling this well. A grandfathering of the charge and an accurate statement on their website would have been better (or at least one of these). On the other hand, what they are doing is not illegal.

 

[fla4fun]

It could be worse...you could be flying BA out of Heathrow and be allowed NO baggage!

Thanks to a series of goofs in their brand new terminal, flights were going without any baggage (people were forced to send their baggage back home by cab, if someone hadn't dropped them off). They were lucky I suppose - at least their flights weren't canceled (many were).

I can't imagine, unless you were flying for a really important meeting, that anyone would agree to fly without their luggage. That's just nuts! How could you send your luggage home if there was no one at home because you were going on vacation? They really messed up big time.

But I agree that if you pay for your ticket and then the airline changes the baggage allowance, you should be able to get a refund if you want it. Of course, if it's the airport that makes the change, like when they did away with carryons at the beginning of the no liquids fiasco, then you're just out of luck. But is changing the baggage allowance any different than changing the aircraft type? If they swap out one type of airplane for another, and you don't have the same seat size or pitch, should that entitle you to a refund? As far as the airline is concerned, the answer to both issues is no.

 

[mickey2000]

These sort of things will be happening during our current
R E C E S S I O N ......
Just today at he Post Office there was a sign advertising for large trucks that are needed to handle mail delivery. Could this also be related to fuel costs? Local truckers here in my state are in a pinch! Soon it will be filtering down to everything we consume... JMO

 

[mla973]

I asked the OP's question to a NWA phone operator last week. She put me on hold to check with a manager. Basically, the answer I got was "I don't know. It's not in place now, so we can't speculate on what will happen in future." She led me to believe the charge wouldn't be added after purchase, but she never said "no, it won't be."

I know many people upset with Spirit who have flown recently to the surprise of paying $20 for each bag. Not knowing it ahead of time, a friend paid $80 in luggage charges to an airline that she booked solely based on the purchase price (before the luggage charges were in place).

 

[buzz2400]

When the two airlines said they were going to start charging, I sent an email to delta asking if they were going to do this and how many bags can you check in for free. I am flying delta in august and had already bought the tickets. Delta had responded that you are allowed two checked in pieces of luggage for free. then when I heard delta will be charging for the 2nd piece I email again and was told that I will have to pay for the 2nd piece of luggage effective may. so I sent another email saying I think is was so wrong when I was told 2 pieces for free and that they were changing the policy after I had already bought the tickets and I wanted a refund. I was bluntly told NO to the refund. Anyway I will fly delta on this trip because I bought the tickets and get a refund. I am thinking of buying those bags that you take out the air and are able to pack more. I am also going to have a dry run when I fly in May for disney trip. I truly believe delta will lose customers because of the way they are handling this since there really hasn't been an official announcement from delta that they will be charging you.

 

[crashbb]

I am thinking of buying those bags that you take out the air and are able to pack more. I am also going to have a dry run when I fly in May for disney trip.

Be careful with those "air sucking" bags - they make it easy to over pack and overweight charges will likely be more than the $25 for bringing a second bag.

 

[CarolA]

Just to make this even more horrifying....

Airlines can also impose fuel surcharges like the cruise lines have (and yes you have to pay them EVEN if you booked before they announed... just ask all those cruisers!!!!)

Airlines have the rules written to protect them...

 

[Horace Horsecollar]

That's only true if the passenger is aware of the policy prior to arriving at the airport. Delta is still showing the 2 free checked bag policy in their main site but updated the CoC.

That's an interesting point. Delta Air Lines should not allow their public website and their Contract of Carriage document to be out of sync.

As of right now (April 1, 2008, 6:23 PM EDT), Delta's Baggage Allowances on Flights page still says:

Checked Baggage
You can check two bags per passenger free of charge.
Each bag must:

• Weigh 50 pounds (22.5 kg) or less.
• Not exceed 62 inches when you total length plus width plus height.

I'll be interested to see what the website says once it's updated. I would still expect a line such as, "effective May 1, 2008, for tickets purchased after April x, 2008," where x is a few days after the official public announcement (not just the "we plan to.." disclosure) and after the public website is updated.

The Contract of Carriage provides the official legalese, but that doesn't mean that Delta can't or won't treat their passengers fairly during the transition.

A passenger who buys a ticket based on the current website language really ought to be protected -- regardless of what Delta can legally get away with. To do anything else would be unethical.

 

[safetymom]

I find it sort of funny that on Flyer Talk the second bag fee doesn't even seem to be much of an issue. Usually they are the first to demand that Delta change a policy.

 

[disneydreamin247]

I don't it's fair but your ticket purchase is subject to the CoC. The terms of the CoC allows the airline to modify (change) it. The terms of the CoC that's in effect when you fly is what is enforced.

You have the right to a refund, if you don't want to agree to the new terms.

I contacted Delta for a refund and was denied. They said they can not refund my ticket based on the change of CoC.

 

[Niagara2]

Carnival Cruise Lines was told yesterday to refund over 10 million dollars to cruisers who where charged a fuel surcharge after booking. They thought they were protected by their lists in the CoC but were not. Disney cruise line changed our ticket price with additional fee's after we were booked for the repositioning cruise for August 2008 but realized later they cannot do that, or got so many complaints, not sure which, that they wrote again and said the original cost will apply. I still think the airlines will have someone start some class action law suit of people who were charged after already booking. All bets are off from this day forward and we will have these surcharges on everything soon.

 

[Lewisc]

I contacted Delta for a refund and was denied. They said they can not refund my ticket based on the change of CoC.

The CoC specifically gives you the right to obtain a refund if you don't agree to material changes in the terms of the CoC. Do you have the name of the representative you talked to? I suspect you can push the issue and get a refund or use the refusal of Delta to issue a refund as the basis to obtain a refund of the charge for excess baggage.

 

[disneydreamin247]

I called again today and was told baggage allowance wasn't part of the CoC. I told the rep I read the CoC that I personally read it and it was in there. I was again denied a refund and told I would have to write to corporate if I wanted one and that it was unlikely I would get one