Delta is charging us $450 for our BAGS

[jlewisinsyr]

The whole point as to why we are so ticked about the $450 cost is, the airlines took this gas crisis and are running with it. They are getting rediculous, the price to fly is already high and they are charging us the price of a full airline ticket JUST for our bags...it is robbery, they are money hungry.

Unfortunately the price isn't high enough in most cases. Fuel costs are still MUCH higher then the average over the past 20 years, plus other costs have continued to rise, while fares have remained pretty level, with minimal inflationary pressure.

Bags take up both space and add weight to a plane, which increases costs. From a space perspective, most airlines also transport cargo/mail which brings in revenue, more consumer baggage means less cargo. From a weight, well, weight increases the amount of fuel needed to move, so that is a direct cost.

I can understand being frustrated, and you're entitled to your opinion, but unfortunately it's not founded on much factual information considering most airlines are still posting losses on their balance sheets, and the last I checked, none of them were in the business to lose money or run as a not-for-profit.

 

[duffy]

So, Delta is charging you $450 in baggage fees? Why didn't you tell us there's TEN of you?? That's like saying, Disney is charging us $10,000 for our trip, and neglecting to mention how many there are, or what all is included.

If you don't want to pay that much, then don't take that much. If someone is only going to be gone for a few days and doesn't want to bring much, why should they have to pay the same price as you, who is bringing pounds and pounds of stuff?

If an airline basically tells me, "we'll take $45 off of your ticket if you don't bring a suitcase", I'll leave my suitcase and keep my $45!

Are all 10 of the people in your immediate family? In other words, are you paying the $450 yourself? Or is it spread out between several families? If so, why are you concerned?

 

[Tara]

The whole point as to why we are so ticked about the $450 cost is, the airlines took this gas crisis and are running with it. They are getting rediculous, the price to fly is already high and they are charging us the price of a full airline ticket JUST for our bags...it is robbery, they are money hungry.

Oh come on, that's $450 divided by 9 bags for 10 people - of course it adds up to a lot of money. It's a little disingenuous to act as if they are ripping you off because you just so happen to have a lot of people and a lot of bags. There's no volume discount.

If you think the airlines are profit-taking off bag fees, you are sorely mistaken. Most too a big hit when the new liquids regs came out and suddenly bag checking skyrocketed - it takes people to move those bags around and the more bags, the more people. Aside from needing to find new revenue sources, they also needed to stem the tide of checked baggage, and having to pay for bags isn't a bad deterrent.

And here's a little fact that I've never seen mentioned in any discussion of bag fees, though I'm sure this won't make you feel any better - airlines do not have to pay taxes on these fees. So if they have to choose between raising (taxable) fares and keeping baggage fees instead, which one do you think they're going to choose?

 

[poohs4me]

When we cruised in June on Delta, the luggage fees were not charged to our shipboard account. We had to stop after we debarked and pay them at a little desk. We did use the DCL transportation service, which we do again!!

The delta website does say you do not HAVE to pay in advance, but if you don't you will have to pay a surcharge. From their website.

"If you check in for your flight in the airport lobby via ticket counter, kiosk, or curbside check-in, a surcharge applies. To avoid the airport surcharge, be sure to check in and pay your baggage fees online via your computer or mobile phone.

if checking in online at delta.com
$23 USD/CAD* for the first checked bag
$32 USD/CAD* for the second checked bag
if checking in via ticket counter, kiosk, or curbside at the airport
$25 USD/CAD* for the first checked bag
$35 USD/CAD* for the second checked bag"

 

[Inkmahm]

Oh come on, that's $450 divided by 9 bags for 10 people - of course it adds up to a lot of money. It's a little disingenuous to act as if they are ripping you off because you just so happen to have a lot of people and a lot of bags. There's no volume discount.

If you think the airlines are profit-taking off bag fees, you are sorely mistaken. Most too a big hit when the new liquids regs came out and suddenly bag checking skyrocketed - it takes people to move those bags around and the more bags, the more people. Aside from needing to find new revenue sources, they also needed to stem the tide of checked baggage, and having to pay for bags isn't a bad deterrent.

And here's a little fact that I've never seen mentioned in any discussion of bag fees, though I'm sure this won't make you feel any better - airlines do not have to pay taxes on these fees. So if they have to choose between raising (taxable) fares and keeping baggage fees instead, which one do you think they're going to choose?

I doubt there is an income tax exclusion for fees. Revenue is revenue and will be taxed.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

And here's a little fact that I've never seen mentioned in any discussion of bag fees, though I'm sure this won't make you feel any better - airlines do not have to pay taxes on these fees. So if they have to choose between raising (taxable) fares and keeping baggage fees instead, which one do you think they're going to choose?

I disagree on this. Airlines do not have to pay tax on pass through fees they are required to charge, this is because these are not revenue generating, they are just acting as an intermediary for the collection. Fees under this umbrella would be passenger facility charges, TSA fees, etc. Baggage fees are not pass through and are considered revenue to the airline and would be subject to taxes just as any other revenue.

 

[Tara]

I disagree on this. Airlines do not have to pay tax on pass through fees they are required to charge, this is because these are not revenue generating, they are just acting as an intermediary for the collection. Fees under this umbrella would be passenger facility charges, TSA fees, etc. Baggage fees are not pass through and are considered revenue to the airline and would be subject to taxes just as any other revenue.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601209&sid=a6M45nKOyGPM

You are certainly free to disagree. But the fact is that the government has specifically declared these fees as not taxable. I didn't say they didn't have to pay *income* tax on them. They just don't have to charge excise tax on the fees.

Lots of people say "why don't they just raise fares and be done with it" but this is the reason they don't just raise fares. They want to keep the actual fares as low as possible, and adding in baggage costs just means that more tax gets tacked onto the price, making the fares look that much more unattractive.

 

[Tara]

I doubt there is an income tax exclusion for fees. Revenue is revenue and will be taxed.

That isn't what I said. My point is that if they include bag fees in the airfare, those fees are subject to excise tax, which makes the airfare even higher. That is why they continue to keep them a la carte rather than including bag handling in airfare.

 

[SDSorority]

We do one of the following....


We fly Southwest- no baggage fee

We don't check a bag. We take one of those travel carry-on size suitcases and a personal bag (shoulder bag) per person.



I could NOT spend $450 for checked bag fees. That's a Vicky and Alberts meal and THEN some!

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

I could NOT spend $450 for checked bag fees. That's a Vicky and Alberts meal and THEN some!

I doubt a decent Victoria and Albert's meal for 10 would cost $450 or under...

 

[jlewisinsyr]

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601209&sid=a6M45nKOyGPM

You are certainly free to disagree. But the fact is that the government has specifically declared these fees as not taxable. I didn't say they didn't have to pay *income* tax on them. They just don't have to charge excise tax on the fees.

Lots of people say "why don't they just raise fares and be done with it" but this is the reason they don't just raise fares. They want to keep the actual fares as low as possible, and adding in baggage costs just means that more tax gets tacked onto the price, making the fares look that much more unattractive.

This makes sense now that you clarified your information, you're referring to consumer tax versus corporate tax. The consumer wouldn't have to pay additional tax, but the corporate taxes would still apply. There are two parts to this, I was discussed the corporate side, you were discussing the consumer side.

 

[ExPirateShopGirl]

In your original comment you make it sound as if the airlines are making MORE because they choose to ala carte the luggage fees rather than include them in the fare, as southwest does. I think that's why a few folks put in rebuttals. You simply wrote 'pay taxes' instead of 'are required to levy excise taxes' - viva la difference!

That isn't what I said. My point is that if they include bag fees in the airfare, those fees are subject to excise tax, which makes the airfare even higher. That is why they continue to keep them a la carte rather than including bag handling in airfare.

 

[DisMN]

OP I feel your pain. I might suggest trying one thing to help cut down the number of bags you'll have to take. You don't mention having a carry on so my suggestion is to buy one carry on for each person and fill those bags with items currently in the luggage you planned on checking. I would think you could consolidate enough to cut 3-4 checked bags.....

Good luck!

 

[Minnesota!]

Why in the world do you guys need all those bags? We are a family of 4, but on our last vacation we brought 2 adults with us. So for 6 people we had 3 checked bags. And one of those checked bags was originally a carryon, but DH decided he didn't want to "carry it on" so he checked it.And a carryon each. We had to do diapers, etc. too.

You guys are bringing WAY too much.

 

[Jestocost]

Why in the world do you guys need all those bags? We are a family of 4, but on our last vacation we brought 2 adults with us. So for 6 people we had 3 checked bags. And one of those checked bags was originally a carryon, but DH decided he didn't want to "carry it on" so he checked it.And a carryon each. We had to do diapers, etc. too.

You guys are bringing WAY too much.

In OP's defense, there are 10 people traveling to WDW followed by a 7-day cruise. That's a lot of people and a long period of time; part of which includes a need for formal and/or semi-formal attire. Given that, I don't think one checked bag per person is unreasonable.

 

[jlewisinsyr]

In OP's defense, there are 10 people traveling to WDW followed by a 7-day cruise. That's a lot of people and a long period of time; part of which includes a need for formal and/or semi-formal attire. Given that, I don't think one checked bag per person is unreasonable.

I think many of us would disagree. My partner and I did a 2 week vacation for the past few years and we never check more then one bag between the two of us, and we carry on very little (camera bag and my computer bag). Some of these vacations included formal and informal events too, people do tend to overpack.

 

[Lewisc]

That isn't what I said. My point is that if they include bag fees in the airfare, those fees are subject to excise tax, which makes the airfare even higher. That is why they continue to keep them a la carte rather than including bag handling in airfare.

My understanding is airlines found passengers were more willing to pay to check bags then an equivalent increase in fares. Passengers who use search engines to compare fares don't always include the cost to check bags in their comparisons.

I've never read, excluding your post, information suggesting airlines made the change to save passengers a few dollars in excise taxes.

One bag per passenger, for a 2 week cruise/land vacation isn't outrageous. I agree some people can make do with less. Remember the cost for an overweight bag is much higher then the cost to check a bag. Delta charges an extra $90 if the bag weighs 51-70 lbs. Delta also charges an extra $175 if the bag is oversized. That's an extra $265 if a passenger uses an old bag that's oversized and is overweight when packed. Makes a lot more sense to pay $23 to check an extra bag (up to one bag per passenger) and even the $32 if you're checking more then one bag per passenger.

 

[Tara]

That's absolutely not what I'm saying. Sure, keeping bag fees separate keeps fares lower on its own. Having the fees in fares means that they then have to add tax, which makes the fares that much higher. The airlines aren't trying to save customers money; they're trying to keep business by keeping fares as low as possible. From the standpoint of consumer perception of pricing, it is to their advantage to not have to collect tax on baggage fees.

 

[Jestocost]

I think many of us would disagree. My partner and I did a 2 week vacation for the past few years and we never check more then one bag between the two of us, and we carry on very little (camera bag and my computer bag). Some of these vacations included formal and informal events too, people do tend to overpack.

And many would disagree with you, so I guess that leaves us where we started.

 

[justplaingoofy]

I know many times we've done 10 days with one carryon & one backpack. (backpack has food, stuff for the plane, documents)....and we bring along snorkeling equip. I pack one pair of dress shoes that match everything, and coordinate my clothes so that they all match the shoes, sweater for nighttime etc..

I guess if you are one family with a bunch of kids it might not be reasonable to do a carry on per person then do laundry while you are there. But, if it is 2 families of 5 (or more than 2 families) the luggage "could" be scaled down especially if you decide to throw in some laundry while at the quiet pool or on the ship. There are multiple washers/dryers so you can do more than 1 load at a time.