Wow! Huge jump in Delta bag fees...now $23 each bag, each way

[jodifla]

...or $25 if you do it at the airport.

So, family of 4, that Delta flight is now $200 more, at least!

 

[dburg30]

Dont take so many bags then!

 

[jlewisinsyr]

Since people most often only make change when it costs them money, I think the baggage fees are doing what intended. People are starting to adjust their packing, going carry-on only requires them to take less stuff as does the reduction in bags per person being checked.

A family of 4, does not need to take 4 suit cases of clothes for a week or possibly even a 2 week vacation.

 

[dburg30]

Since people most often only make change when it costs them money, I think the baggage fees are doing what intended. People are starting to adjust their packing, going carry-on only requires them to take less stuff as does the reduction in bags per person being checked.

A family of 4, does not need to take 4 suit cases of clothes for a week or possibly even a 2 week vacation.

That would only be $64 more round trip ($8 more per first bag) If they took 2 bags each 8 total! would be $15 more for each person for 2 bags each way.. So that would be $120 more for 8 bags. So I still dont quite get the $200 the OP listed.. Unless I really missed something..

 

[jodifla]

That would only be $64 more round trip ($8 more per first bag) If they took 2 bags each 8 total! would be $15 more for each person for 2 bags each way.. So that would be $120 more for 8 bags. So I still dont quite get the $200 the OP listed.. Unless I really missed something..

I'm saying the average family, taking one bag each, has to pay an extra $200 to fly. Is it 200 more than when the bags were 15....no. But it's a hefty, hefty jump.

 

[dburg30]

I'm saying the average family, taking one bag each, has to pay an extra $200 to fly. Is it 200 more than when the bags were 15....no. But it's a hefty, hefty jump.

Oh, you mean difference between when there were NO fees.

edit: And they dont HAVE to pay that fee, they could find an airline with lower fees / no fees / or 1 free bag allowance..

 

[TillyMarigold]

Which airline would that be? The only no-fee or free-bag airline that serves my home airport is Southwest (and they're about $100/ticket more expensive than anyone else).

 

[dburg30]

Guess it will vary from city to city but it's usually cheaper for SW where we are.. i think airtran allows 1 bag for free

 

[Minnesota!]

I agree with the pp that

1) no family should need to take one suitcase each for a week's vacation. We are a family of 4 and get most everything into 4 carryon's. We do ship a box with the non perishable foods, but that is a heck of a lot cheaper then the airline baggage fees

2) the fees are doing exactly what the airline wanted - people to bring less stuff and really reevaluate what is necessary for vacation. i mean, who needs more then 2 or so pairs of shoes? It's easier (and space saving!) to pack a roll of quarters and some laundry detergent rather then outfits for every day of the week

 

[snowbunny]

So, family of 4, that Delta flight is now $200 more, at least!

The family of 4 that needs to burn fuel to fly four checked bags plus four carry-ons plus four personal items to their Disney vacation is carrying too d%#m much c&%p! It should cost them more!

 

[Missytara]

Guess it will vary from city to city but it's usually cheaper for SW where we are.. i think airtran allows 1 bag for free

Airtran is $15.00 for the first bag.

 

[Lewisc]

I wonder how long before a (domestic) airline decides to impose and enforce weight restrictions on carry on bags.

Older bags can weight between 15-20 lbs empty. Passengers who want to check fewer bags may want to consider purchasing new bags.

Delta charges $90 for a bag that weights 51-70 lbs and $175 if a bag is oversized. It's cheaper to check an extra bag then pay extra for a bag that's too big or too heavy.

 

[dburg30]

And of course Continental followed suit..

 

[goofy4tink]

THe problem is this though....now, we have families checking just one bag(if that) for the stuff they can't take carryon, and then cramming as much stuff as they can get into those 2 carryons, and....they are as large as permitted, sometimes larger. It boggles my mind when I see the stuff people are using as carryon. One guy had to push and shove to get his 'carryon' bag into the bins...then, when it was time to take it down, it took 3 men to get it out. It was so large that it got stuck in the bin!!!
It would make so much more sense to charge for that second bag and allow people to have the first bag free. Jetblue does it and that's why I fly with them so often. It just makes more sense.
I mean, really. The fares are going up by leaps and bounds, then we have those addtl fees to pay. Yes, it's a business and I want the airlines to be profitable. But $23 for the first bag??? Are they trying to drive everyone to SW????
This now forces me to look elsewhere when booking my flights. I won't be forced to squeeze what I need into a carryon...I just won't. If I'm going to WDW (for instance) for a week, I 'might' be able to do it, but that would be in the summer, with lighter clothing. Winter?? Not on a bet.
Looks like SW and JB for me from now on.

 

[ssawka]

Dont take so many bags then!

or fly Southwest or JetBlue.

or fight with all the other passengers over carry-on space.

 

[dburg30]

And as everyone has pointed out, it wasnt airtran it's jetblue with the 1st bag free.. which at goofy4tink says, make the most sense if you are going to have a bag fee, at least let one go free..

 

[jlewisinsyr]

And as everyone has pointed out, it wasnt airtran it's jetblue with the 1st bag free.. which at goofy4tink says, make the most sense if you are going to have a bag fee, at least let one go free..

I think it depends on your clientele. Jetblue, Airtran and SW are all pretty much leisure carriers, most business customers don't utilize these carriers or if they do, on a limited basis.

Business customers (which represent a huge market - but also volatile at times) more often prefer the ala carte pricing because they can segregate their costs based on their trip. If the baggage fee was rolled into the cost of ticket most business travelers traveling on a 1 - 3 day trip wouldn't have checked luggage and as a result are paying more then needed.

Baggage fees are a completely voluntary purchase and as a business traveler, I'm glad to see the fees as I rarely need to check a bag when traveling which means I'm costing the airline less (weight, transportation, labor costs) then the family of 4 going to Disney.

 

[chrisn]

We are a family of four. We each carry-on our own small rolling carry-on (works for 1 week or two) and check one bag TOTAL for all four of us with everyone's full size toiletries in it. We've been doing this since the changes and it works very well for us.

 

[KINGBOBOFTHENORTH]

the fees are doing exactly what the airline wanted - people to bring less stuff and really reevaluate what is necessary for vacation.

No, that's not what the airlines wanted. They wanted the money earned from the fees.

BobK/Orlando

 

[Lewisc]

No, that's not what the airlines wanted. They wanted the money earned from the fees.

BobK/Orlando

less passenger luggage means more room for air cargo (including mail)