US air rip offs

[coltink]

US Airways baggage information at their official website:

http://www2.usairways.com/en-US/traveltools/baggage/baggagepolicies.html

US Airways does a better job than most other airlines in explaining the pricing and rules for baggage.

However, I can see how someone who hasn't flown in several years might not look for such a page before buying tickets.

As I noted earlier in this thread, it's possible to save some money by packing fewer checked bags -- as long as such combined loads aren't too large or heavy.

I haven't flown in 6 years or so, don't have cable (to hear about it on the news), and I know about the baggage fees. When you book it clearly states baggage fees are not included. And gives you a nifty chart that shows how much the fees are for your baggage.

If you plan on taking that much luggage, suck it up and pay the fees, just don't let it ruin your time.

 

[CR Resort Fan 4 Life]

None of the Canadian airlines charge for the first 2 pieces of luggage (at least none of the major ones).

Air Canada, does something interesting though. On some of the cheaper fares, you can get a discount if (at the time you buy your ticket) you state that you will have no checked luggage. The thing is, you only save about $3 each way. The fee if you then decide to check luggage is about $50 (and this is VERY clearly stated when you choose the "no luggage" option).

The few times that I've been within the right fare category and plan on only using carry-on, I've rarely taken the "no luggage" option. To me, the risk of having to pay $50 outweighs the gain of saving $3. These have mainly been work flights, and I've worried that I'd suddenly find I need to take more files/whatever than expected. On one trip, my colleague had taken the option and I ended up needing to check-in my luggage on the way home, because she had bought a liquid bigger than 100mL without thinking.

WestJet also doesn't charge for two checked bags.

"At WestJet we think it's reasonable to bring two checked bags. Just make sure they're within our size and weight limits. For details check out our baggage info page".
https://www.westjet.com/guest/en/travelInfo/baggageInformation/scheduledFlights.shtml

 

[crashbb]

WestJet also doesn't charge for two checked bags.

"At WestJet we think it's reasonable to bring two checked bags. Just make sure they're within our size and weight limits. For details check out our baggage info page".
https://www.westjet.com/guest/en/travelInfo/baggageInformation/scheduledFlights.shtml

Which would be included in my line :

NONE of the Canadian airlines charge for the first 2 pieces of luggage

Not sure why you felt the need to correct me, especially since I wasn't wrong.

 

[disfan07]

Southwest airlines- 2 FREE bags
Jetblue- 1st bag FREE, 2nd one is $15 i think
Everyone else charges for the first bag.

This is why we fly southwest anywhere we can. We have to take checked bags. We dont have an option so we usually only fly on airlines where we can get at least one bag free (except for virgin america....that airline is worth paying for luggage)

 

[Green Tea]

We're driving a little farther to a Southwest airport for the next vacation. For 5 people, a cheaper flight combined with no checked bag fees makes a sizable savings.

The checked bag fees are so much in the news and have been for so long, I am surprised the rule could sneak up on anyone.

 

[DebbieB]

At least US backed off charging $2 for soft drinks & water, $1 for coffee. I think they expected the other airlines to follow and none did so they reversed it. They did eliminate in flight movies & program shorts.

 

[TrustedTraveler]

As Southwest says in their ads: Only Turkeys Charge for Bags!

 

[maxiesmom]

I agree with you. I think it's a rip-off to pay as much we do for tickets and then get nickled and dimed for luggage and food on the plane. And I don't care if the airlines put their policies in fine print or extra big print, it's still a rip-off. At this point, though, the only thing you can do about it is forget it. Don't let it ruin your trip.

But you don't have to pay the extra fees. You can choose to travel using carry-ons only, and you can also bring snacks onto the plane with you. You are only nickled and dimed to death if you choose to be. I actually do check bags, and for my last flight even checked an extra one to have room for souvineers. But I do bring my own snacks on board.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

I haven't flown in 6 years or so, don't have cable (to hear about it on the news), and I know about the baggage fees. When you book it clearly states baggage fees are not included. And gives you a nifty chart that shows how much the fees are for your baggage.

If you plan on taking that much luggage, suck it up and pay the fees, just don't let it ruin your time.

Exactly. I was thinking you'd have to be living in a cave to have not heard about baggage fees.

I try to use SWA when possible but we've also flown Airtran for other reasons and just suck it up and accept it. The last 4 flights we flew on Airtran or SWA between PHL or ACY and MCO were between $30-59. For that cheap price, how can I complain about baggage fees? Fares are often lower now than they were back in 2000 when we 1st took ds to WDW.

Hard lesson learned for op but that's how airlines operate these days.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I don't pay the baggage fees before I get to the airport. One time they forgot to charge me and my bag got a one way flight for free.

The potential problem with that (aside from it just being a slim chance ) is the airlines are now charging more when passengers pay at the airport than when they pay in advance.

---

Respectfully to the OP and anyone else surprised by checked luggage fees - the airlines started this over a year ago. It's been on local and national news several times, it's been in newspapers, it's been posted in stories and forums online (including this one, MANY times).

Airlines lose millions and millions of dollars every year because passengers generally demand the best service at the lowest possible price. A la carte fees provide the airlines with additional, necessary income.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I agree with you. I think it's a rip-off to pay as much we do for tickets and then get nickled and dimed for luggage and food on the plane. And I don't care if the airlines put their policies in fine print or extra big print, it's still a rip-off.

Then don't fly. When adjusted for inflation, air tickets are about the same price as they were twenty years ago. Do you know ANY other product whose price hasn't increased?

 

[bumbershoot]

However, I can see how someone who hasn't flown in several years might not look for such a page before buying tickets.

Except you don't have to look for it.

I just did mock booking on US Airways.

TWICE (before I'd have had to put in cc information), I read that baggage fees were not included and was given links to the page that explained the fees. I would not consider that hidden away on some page.

Exactly. I did a mock booking, and on the page where I chose my flight times, there's:

"
$xxxxx Non-refundable

(Plus taxes and fees, checked baggage fees may apply)"


Clicking on the baggage fees link yields a popup which states right up front:

"Checked bags

You can pay for your 1st and 2nd checked bags when you check in online and save. There is a $5 service fee for checked bags at the airport. You can check in beginning 24 hours and up to 60 minutes before your departure. Also, all bag fees are per person and each way. "


Especially if someone is an infrequent traveler, they *need to be* reading *everything*. Small print isn't static online, you can increase the font size on your browser. And small print is IMPORTANT, it NEEDS to be read. We all need to go slowly, reading all the legal things we're agreeing to, as we spend hundreds of dollars on something.

 

[ftballfan7]

Then don't fly. When adjusted for inflation, air tickets are about the same price as they were twenty years ago. Do you know ANY other product whose price hasn't increased?

Actually, "when adjusted for inflation" on average all product's prices have maintained statu quo and not increased. Hence the adjusting for inflation.

 

[GEB@okw]

Southwest does charge for luggage. It's a great example of false advertising. It's included in the price of the ticket. Just take your luggage to the airport and ask them to take it to Orlando for free. They will not do it, unless you have purchased a ticket. When comparing airfares, figure in the fees. At least I don't have to pay extra because you take 80 pounds of luggage and I take none. People should pay who use the service. I have never found a decent fare on Southwest anywhere.

 

[ftballfan7]

Southwest does charge for luggage. It's a great example of false advertising. It's included in the price of the ticket. Just take your luggage to the airport and ask them to take it to Orlando for free. They will not do it, unless you have purchased a ticket. When comparing airfares, figure in the fees. At least I don't have to pay extra because you take 80 pounds of luggage and I take none. People should pay who use the service. I have never found a decent fare on Southwest anywhere.

I have found southwest to be the most reasonably priced when flying from the northeast to Florida, even before calculating the additional fees for bags that other airlines charge.

 

[disfan07]

Southwest does charge for luggage. It's a great example of false advertising. It's included in the price of the ticket. Just take your luggage to the airport and ask them to take it to Orlando for free. They will not do it, unless you have purchased a ticket. When comparing airfares, figure in the fees. At least I don't have to pay extra because you take 80 pounds of luggage and I take none. People should pay who use the service. I have never found a decent fare on Southwest anywhere

And southwest is usually the only decent fare we find anywhere.
We used to fly Dulles to orlando for $100 RT per person on southwest when everyone else wanted btw $150-$200 RT
We're flying LAX to dulles in 2 weeks on southwest for $300 RT per person when everyone else wanted more than $400 RT
We had the choice of paying $300 RT w/ no additional fees or $400 RT plus baggage fees.
They might "include" it in their fares but they are still cheaper than other airlines

 

[pilotwife_02]

It all depends on where you are. I have found the Southwest is never the cheapest when I look up airfare (for others not for me ).

We did buy tix to Orlando since flying non-rev with 2 toddlers would have been a nightmare and southwest would have been $300 more for the 4 of us so even WITH baggage fees Airtran was cheaper for us.

 

[dburg30]

It all depends on where you are. I have found the Southwest is never the cheapest when I look up airfare (for others not for me ).

We did buy tix to Orlando since flying non-rev with 2 toddlers would have been a nightmare and southwest would have been $300 more for the 4 of us so even WITH baggage fees Airtran was cheaper for us.

From CMH to MCO?? I guess I just hit the timing..

 

[pilotwife_02]

From CMH to MCO?? I guess I just hit the timing..

Yeah, when we booked our October trip Airtrain was cheaper. When I have looked up airfare for my parents to come out here from PHL to CMH US Air is always cheaper than Southwest. Since DH is a pilot people always seem to ask us to look into getting airfare for them, like we have some special secret way of finding the best airfare And Southwest has never been the best option to date.

Like I said we usually non rev so the October trip was the first time in 10 years I have bought tix for us.

 

[bavaria]

I agree with you. I think it's a rip-off to pay as much we do for tickets and then get nickled and dimed for luggage and food on the plane. And I don't care if the airlines put their policies in fine print or extra big print, it's still a rip-off. At this point, though, the only thing you can do about it is forget it. Don't let it ruin your trip.

Over the past 20 years airline tickets in America have continued to decline, and are now at some of the lowest prices EVER. Almost every US carrier has been bleeding billions of dollars in revenue for years, yet we still read almost weekly these endless whinges about the evil airlines 'ripping off' customers.

It is simple logic - they are failing, and they cannot raise fares without the infrequent travellers whinging and refusing to pay, so they need to find revenue elsewhere.

It isn't like this in the rest of the world - airfares are viable, and thus no fees on mainline carriers. (see crashbb's posts - but then again, most people here wouldn't pay the fares we pay in the rest of the world)

I just purchased last night a ticket in December for intra-US travel, and it is about 30% cheaper than I have EVER paid for that route, and it is crossing into the holiday season, when fares are usually higher.

I'm sorry, but I really don't have any sympathy anymore for rants like this. The expectation for a business to continue to drop prices lower and lower to the point of bankruptcy is just not logical.