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Time to Revolt - Airlines charge for Carry On!!

post #1 of 57
4/7/10 at 4:25am
Thread Starter 
At the time its only Spirit Airline, but if this works for them, you're sure to see this trickle through the rest of the air lines.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/business/07bags.html?src=me

Snip from the article
Quote:
Airlines in the United States started charging for luggage in 2005 by instituting a fee for passengers with more than one bag to check. Soon, even the first bag wasn’t free. Now, Spirit Airlines says it will charge as much as $30 each way for carry-on bags that are too big to fit under the seat. 

Quote:
The total in bag fees collected by the airlines has skyrocketed since they were first imposed. According to the Transportation Department, the fees rose from $464 million in 2007 to nearly $2 billion in just the first nine months of last year.

I've flown three (or was it 4) times this year, and didn't balk at the baggage fees because I just figured them in with my plane ticket price when I booked my flight, but I must say, the road trip we took was nice because we didn't have to deal with it and it was nice having the convenience of our own vehicle with all of our "stuff", and not having to deal with the hassle of the airlines and rental car companies.

Two thoughts pop up as a knee jerk reaction:
  • we need to revolt and refuse to fly any airline that charges for carry on bags
  • its time to plan more road trips
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post #2 of 57
4/7/10 at 4:33am
Southwest. I have come to the conclusion that I am only going to ski where Southwest flies. I have a FF coming up on United, I will use that at some point. But the hell with the rest of these airlines. 
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post #3 of 57
4/7/10 at 5:04am
Um, I agree with the airline - if the bag is too big to fit, then you should either put it in the hold or get a smaller one.

The quote isn't that every carry-on bag will be charged - only the ones that are too big.

That's pretty standard practice over here - your one piece of carry on must fit into a certain size. Bigger than that and you pay.
It also makes it fairer for others, as it means there's more likely to be space in the overhead locker for your bag, rather than hoping you get there before the person who fills the locker with their stuff.
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post #4 of 57
4/7/10 at 5:12am
WTFH, it is for bags too big to fit under the seat in front of you, not too big to fit in the overhead. Also this airline made systemwide reductions in ticket pricing to "offset' in a move to have customers pay for what they use. 

Not sure I have ever seen any travelers with less than 2 carryons tho---I don;t know how many passengers will benefit from that lower ticket cost.......
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post #5 of 57
4/7/10 at 5:18am
 Whats next? Here is your airline ticket...oh, did you want a seat to go with that? (not far in that some airlines are charging more for an isle or window seat over a center seat). 
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post #6 of 57
4/7/10 at 5:18am
 Good morning Fox Hat.
Think that you and I have read different sources. Spirit will charge you $45.00 to stow a carry-on bag in the overhead. If your bag fits under the seat in front of you, then there is no charge. Put it above, and you dish out the green. It's already standard policy on many carriers that any bag that's too large to fit the overhead space must be checked, and charged.
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post #7 of 57
4/7/10 at 5:22am
 As mentioned on FB, this all started as a problem when airlines started charging for checked luggage. Some mentioned that if checked luggage was free and carry ons were charged it would go a lot smoother and faster. I guess flights would be "less late". 

Southwest doesn't seem to have a problem making money by NOT charging for luggage... http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/05/24/southwests-profit-secrets/
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post #8 of 57
4/7/10 at 5:24am
Thread Starter 
WTFH I would agree with you, if this were for bags that didn't meet the requirements for their carry on size, but this is for bags that go in the overhead compartment.

FWIW, Mr TC carrys a boot bag that is a normal luggage bag and DOES NOT meet the carry on size requirement.  IMHO he should be told that he can't carry it on and be forced to check it, but he never does and I just shake my head

On the other hand, if the airlines had reasonable luggage fees(or no luggage fees at all), more people would check their bags instead of trying to use oversized carry on's.
Here's an idea.....
Charge me a fair price for my ticket, so I don't have to number crunch all the extra fees, and I'll be happy to pay the "fair price"


*Note: Mr TC's boot bag is not an example of taking a carry on instead of checked luggage, he still checks two bags plus takes his boot bag.
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post #9 of 57
4/7/10 at 5:25am
It actually makes more sense than charging for checked baggage.  Charging for checked baggage means more and bigger carry ons, and that means slower loading, which is costly to the airlines.  Southwest's open seating and back door gates are all about minimizing gate time, and its free checked luggage policy fits with that strategy as well.  It's just a matter of time before this all sorts out, but my bet is that most airlines will either charge equally for all luggage, or not charge at all.

BK
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post #10 of 57
4/7/10 at 5:34am
This notion was actually discussed some back in the 90s-I was managing a retail luggage store at that time.  Back then they were pushing that all carry on bags should be required to be small enough to fit under the seat.  I think the rationale there was that there isn't actually enough overhead space for the number of large carry ons there would be if every single passenger brings wto carry ons (one big, one small) on a completely booked flight.  Even trying to put a limit in under the seat gets sketchy because that area is smaller for those sitting by windows than it is for those witting in the middle or aisle seats.

Here's another hot point.. Should women get to take two bags AND a "purse" while men just get two bags period? 
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post #11 of 57
4/7/10 at 6:12am

It is obvious nobody here has flown Spirit. Even with this minimal charge, Spirit Airlines is still at least 50% to 75% less expensive than major carriers. I just booked my Chicago Jazz Festival (See you at the Frog Bar, Rush St. area.) tix MYR to ORD ($88.10 + $38.00 for checking in one bag) for a whopping charge of $126.90.

Spirit has an explanatory statement on their site:
http://www.spiritair.com/Policiesbags.aspx

crgildart: "Here's another hot point.. Should women get to take two bags AND a "purse" while men just get two bags period?" That's a valid GENDER DISCRIMINATION point.


 


Edited by Mainiac - 4/7/10 at 7:13am
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post #12 of 57
4/7/10 at 6:31am
I did two road trips from DC area to ski New England this year.  Those involve about 1500 total miles and have become a piece of cake. Wouldn't think of flying from DC to VT or NH.  Declined to fly west this winter, but don't rule it out for future in right situation.  Have made the ~4000 mile roundtrip drive to CO four times over the years including last year and might again next year.  Must have at least one other person in vehicle to make CO trips pay and must stay for full week or more.  Love having my own stuff and vehicle.  Only downer about big drive to CO is the long return trip when fatique is high and anticipation low.
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post #13 of 57
4/7/10 at 7:22am
As a former professional traveler I have to take issue with everyone who pushes the carry-on boundaries. If people wouldn't try to carry so much stuff EVERYTHING would go a lot smoother. Security, boarding, de-planing is so nice when you only carry minimal baggage. I used a small roller that would fit my laptop, a book and a change of clothes. all this fit under the seat in front of me.
I'm always amazed at the level of air travel gaperness that is exhibited.
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post #14 of 57
4/7/10 at 8:14am
Wouldn't the airlines get more money and catch less flak if they included everything in the price of the ticket and just raised ticket prices? 
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post #15 of 57
4/7/10 at 8:28am
Frontier lets you gate check carry on for free to speed up the boarding process.  Only problem, it goes to the carousel not the Jetway.  Plus if you don't have a carry on that needs to go in the overhead, they let you board right after their premier customers. 
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post #16 of 57
4/7/10 at 8:31am
Quote:
Originally Posted by ecimmortal View Post

As a former professional traveler I have to take issue with everyone who pushes the carry-on boundaries. If people wouldn't try to carry so much stuff EVERYTHING would go a lot smoother. Security, boarding, de-planing is so nice when you only carry minimal baggage. I used a small roller that would fit my laptop, a book and a change of clothes. all this fit under the seat in front of me.
I'm always amazed at the level of air travel gaperness that is exhibited.

Air travel is beginning to resemble riding the bus in mexico. One change I'd like to see, let the people who carryon anything more than a briefcase or purse that has to be stowed in the overhead wait until those of us who checked our bags get off the plane.
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post #17 of 57
4/7/10 at 9:35am
Quote:
Originally Posted by jimmy View Post




Air travel is beginning to resemble riding the bus in mexico. One change I'd like to see, let the people who carryon anything more than a briefcase or purse that has to be stowed in the overhead wait until those of us who checked our bags get off the plane.
 
Can I bring my chickens on if they fit under the seat, (seeing eye chickens)
Serious though I travel a bit for work and getting everyone in and seated is a zoo. Id rather see 1 free checked bag and pay for carry on outside of a purse or laptop.
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post #18 of 57
4/7/10 at 9:47am
Thread Starter 
 ecimmortal, Jimmy and Oldboot, I couldn't agree more, and my husband is a source of the problem because he over packs like no one else I know.

But, for starters, the airlines need to enforce their carry on size, which would prohibit people like MrTC from carrying on his monstrosity of a boot bag. 
No problem with a reasonable size carry on, but as you all have noted, perhaps the carry on bags would be no issue if the baggage fees in general hadn't gotten so bloomin crazy.
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post #19 of 57
4/7/10 at 9:51am
Women no longer get two bags and a purse for a year or so, or when travelling with a child you no longer get two bags and a diaper bag.  You now get a carry on bag and a personal bag (personal bag being , purse, laptop bag or diaper bag), for the last year or so.  I usually carry a back pack when flying now, with my laptop and purse both in it!  And other essentials but it easily fits under the seat in front of me, and allows me to have all my stuff with me as carry on.  I see many men now wearing back packs on to flights also with a lap top and electronics, files and food they want for the trip and pulling their one allowed carry on.

Quote:
Originally Posted by crgildart View Post

This notion was actually discussed some back in the 90s-I was managing a retail luggage store at that time.  Back then they were pushing that all carry on bags should be required to be small enough to fit under the seat.  I think the rationale there was that there isn't actually enough overhead space for the number of large carry ons there would be if every single passenger brings wto carry ons (one big, one small) on a completely booked flight.  Even trying to put a limit in under the seat gets sketchy because that area is smaller for those sitting by windows than it is for those witting in the middle or aisle seats.

Here's another hot point.. Should women get to take two bags AND a "purse" while men just get two bags period? 
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post #20 of 57
4/7/10 at 11:34am

I rarely carry on anything more than my boot bag (Transpack) or a laptop case, neither of which I necessarily want under my feet the whole flight. There should in theory be no problem accomodating either in the overhead (maybe even somewhere near my seat), but if I'm anywhere towards the back of the boarding queue (I actually got zone 9 once), good luck.

The only time I ever bring anything substantial onboard (a small suitcase or suit bag that easily fits overhead) is when I'm traveling on business and need to be somewhere in a hurry. Otherwise, I just don't want to be bothered fighting for the space. 

As someone already mentioned, the problem is largely due to the airlines failing to enforce their own rules and a significant number of people who blissfully ignore them,

I've thought for a long time that the airlines should charge for stuff in the overhead and check bags for free, but then I have visions of chaos as gate agents and/or flight attendants attempt to collect fees from idiots who none the less feel the need to carry on all their worldly possessions.

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post #21 of 57
4/7/10 at 11:50am
So true! I have traveled almost 20K this year so far and what people try to carry on is just rediculous.  For me, I fly Continental and have zero problems. No one ever measures the length of my ski bag, in fact, they never weigh it. As a gold level, I get 3 bags at 70 pounds each

Quote:
Originally Posted by ecimmortal View Post

As a former professional traveler I have to take issue with everyone who pushes the carry-on boundaries. If people wouldn't try to carry so much stuff EVERYTHING would go a lot smoother. Security, boarding, de-planing is so nice when you only carry minimal baggage. I used a small roller that would fit my laptop, a book and a change of clothes. all this fit under the seat in front of me.
I'm always amazed at the level of air travel gaperness that is exhibited.
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post #22 of 57
4/7/10 at 3:34pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by cstreu1026 View Post

Wouldn't the airlines get more money and catch less flak if they included everything in the price of the ticket and just raised ticket prices? 

If I'm not mistaken there are different taxes on "fees" than on tickets so a $250 ticket with $100 in bag fees generates more profit than a $350 ticket. I agree with positive comments on Southwest; seems to be about the only airline that has a clue anymore
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post #23 of 57
4/7/10 at 5:43pm
OK it took some doing but I have the solution. LS booked me incorrectly for the flight tommorow to the west so I thought crap Im not going after all. I got thinking and I got a price from a different airline then she is on, booked 1st class ans am taking her skis and boots as part of my luggage for free!!!
Also i get free drinks, a snack and our own lavitory up front. I get my carry on first and lots over overhead space cause im first on!!
They call me sir and smile AND BRING ME A PILLOW!!!
Thank the lord for 1st class and LS's goof up ( yes she will meet me cause I got her boots and skis hahahaha)
Lov u dear hope your trip isnt too rough... see you out west!!
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post #24 of 57
4/7/10 at 6:07pm
He didn't offer me this option when I booked 4 weeks ago ;o(, but still glad to have you along.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Old Boot View Post

OK it took some doing but I have the solution. LS booked me incorrectly for the flight tommorow to the west so I thought crap Im not going after all. I got thinking and I got a price from a different airline then she is on, booked 1st class ans am taking her skis and boots as part of my luggage for free!!!
Also i get free drinks, a snack and our own lavitory up front. I get my carry on first and lots over overhead space cause im first on!!
They call me sir and smile AND BRING ME A PILLOW!!!
Thank the lord for 1st class and LS's goof up ( yes she will meet me cause I got her boots and skis hahahaha)
Lov u dear hope your trip isnt too rough... see you out west!!
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post #25 of 57
4/7/10 at 6:36pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Philpug View Post

Southwest. I have come to the conclusion that I am only going to ski where Southwest flies. I have a FF coming up on United, I will use that at some point. But the hell with the rest of these airlines. 

 
Indeed Free Skis and Tv's in the seats are nice.
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post #26 of 57
4/8/10 at 7:36am
Quote:
Originally Posted by crgildart View Post


Here's another hot point.. Should women get to take two bags AND a "purse" while men just get two bags period? 
 

NO FUDGING WAY!!!  If a man wants to bring on his purse that is the same size as the womans, he should be allowed to!!
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post #27 of 57
4/8/10 at 8:02am
HBR rings in on the issue of Spirit Airlines: good read! http://bit.ly/cYorzz
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post #28 of 57
4/8/10 at 12:30pm
I guess the only way to travel is by air?????????? or is it????????? depends on how you want to travel..........
There are different ways: car, bus, rail, hike or private plane. Time and money, you have the freedom to choose.......................
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post #29 of 57
4/10/10 at 5:36am
Rail travel would be my choice if there were more of it. My Suby sure gets a workout.

I booked on Jet Blue CLT to BOS: no charges for carry on and the first Bag, and the price was competitive with other carriers. If Southwest makes Charlotte a stop I will be jumpin up n down! Now a Charlotte to Reno flight.....
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post #30 of 57
4/10/10 at 6:09am
Thread Starter 
 Mom posted this in another thread.   Kinda makes you realize just how much we've become accustomed to air travel, eh?
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