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Airline Fees — both new and increases to old — for months have been the talk of the blogosphere and mainstream press.
I have to admit I’m skeptical about all these fees and their potential long term effect on the purchasing habits and consumption of air travel — especially considering the dubious quality of the core airline product — getting people from A to B (with bags).
That said I was reviewing the transcript of today’s Continental Airlines investor call and ran across this quote from the Continental CEO:
“The second bag fee has been very effective. In the domestic market we’re seeing about a 60% reduction for second bags checked by affected customers and for Latin it’s about a 35% reduction without any meaningful problems at the TSA checkpoint or onboard with carry ons. This is very good for us as we save the weight onboard our aircraft as well as the handling and mishandling bag costs” — Larry Kellner
Whoa!
I would never have expected 35-60% LESS second checked bags (due to the new fee) — baggage handlers must be wondering what to do with all the free time.
It never crossed my mind that the fee could be thought of as a “dis-incentive” campaign for pack rats. Maybe we needed a sanity check on how much we “over”-pack and the fee is a “good” thing.
One might argue, however, that all the contents of those unchecked second bags are being carried on — which certainly doesn’t bode well for those airlines who have both a 1st and 2nd checked bag fee (not Continental — yet).
Sounds like those airlines (American, Northwest, United and US Airways) — may soon be seeing some “meaningful” problems at TSA and onboard…
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Arthur Frommer predicted this way back in February when the fee was announced:
I’ve always thought it’s a good thing. Americans felt entitled to overpack. Some of the lines at Airport check-in were comical to see.
Now I worry that passengers are trying to get on with some ridiculously massive carry-ons. It’s hilarious to see the size of bags at the security lines.
A good thing, but can only contribute to potential for “air rage” as more people push the limits of carry on bags (a very American habit!) and insist of putting their cart load of bags in the first empty locker they come to (another habit that is noticeably more common in the USA!)
Travel in this country typically involves taking “stuff” with you. Except for business travelers who always “minimalize” in order to save time, others – who travel for pleasure or necessity of family, need to carry things. I am still irritated by the fact that these transportation companies seem to feel their basic service to the traveling public is to get you from point “a” to point “b” only regardless of your reasons. I may not be traveling much in the future by air. It seems that is always the company’s needs these days which have to be met, and not the general traveling public. Everything in this country is costing more and more, and there is just not more and more money available to the “paying” public. Something will have to give eventually.
The cost of air has made travel by car more appealing. We have made 3 trips this summer where we would normally take air out of Houston; however, the numbers don’t work if you have the time to drive. Most trips are 1000 – 1200 mile trips for the two of us. I calculate at least a 75% savings including rental car, etc. over flying. Bagage fees and other fees were the deciding factor as well as airport hassel (sp).
Good!!! now if the lines wouldl enforce the bad sizes and weights, we’d be in business!!!
What an amazing change in air travel in just seven years. All the security seems focused on passengers; little on shipping and carriers or private planes. No longer do customers get to check bags free, get food or pillows. Now we are paying for certain seats and standing in endlessly long check in lines where a high percentage of checkers have been found to be incompetent. Some airlines have begun to charge for water!! And the price of fuel? $33 a barrel to $140? What backwards progress we are making. Count me out of traveling; heretofore, one of my favorite pastimes. Lynn in Michigan
While I agree too many bags are a gas & fuel efficiency issue, the real issue here is the continued shift in corporate America away from serving the consumer. It used to be that “we” were the customers and “they” were there to serve us. Now, the consumer has to meet corporate criteria and corporate rules or find another carrier. The marketing message says the airlines are here to serve us..but the reality is just the opposite.
This is another hit to the family traveler. With kids flying home from college for summer – add another cost. In the past we’ve taken ski and golf vacations including equipment- guess what~ we’ll be driving from now on. I wonder how this will hurt those industries.
This does not qualify as “pack rat” packing, but legitimate baggage needs for the customer. Not everyone is on a 2 -5 day beach holiday or business trip. P.S. to the airlines; We’ve driven the 2 trips we were going to fly this summer!
Maybe I’m missing something, but I’ve wondered what happens when most baggage weight is in carry-ons that are not subject to extra fees and all that weight balance is shifted to the cabin.
Seems to me that fees for excessive (based on size & weight) carry-ons make more sense.
However, must trust the aeronautical engineers, I guess.
What I find hilarious is that everyone always assumes the passengers with the two full sized checked bags and the carry-on (plus small bag for meds, snacks, etc) is only going on a pleasure trip for a week or two, and how dare they pack so much. Sometimes, people are going away for much longer periods and NEED more than one full size bag. Myself, when I travel, it is generally due to the end of a university term such as winter or summer holiday, and I’m going to be gone for 6-8 weeks if not longer. Now if those of you with the haughty attitude really think you can pack for say May to September in ONE checked bag and ONE carry on- be my guest. I’d like to see it happen. I’m one of those unfortunate students who has an apartment at school and does not have clothes, personal items, etc left back at home. And the distance between ’school’ and ‘home’ makes driving a near impossibility.
Realistically, the cost of air travel has become unreal. They are nickel and diming us to death with fees and fees for the fees, etc. And the service we are paying for sure as heck isn’t getting any better. It’s an all around no win situation. Sure, there has been a reduction in luggage checked, but tell me why that hasn’t translated into less lost baggage?
I agree that the second bag fee may be a good thing, making people think about what they really need to pack. But a danger I see is that people are going to begin putting heavier things, such as bowling balls, in their carry-on to avoid the overage charges; that could be a safety issue, all that weight in the overhead. I think the charge for the first checked bag is ridiculous, and will definitely lead to “carry-on abuse”.
I just returned from Denver, CO and flying out I checked only 1 bag. Returning I had a few souveniers that could not be packed. I had a carry-on shopping bag and my computer case. I opted for a fanny pack and packed my purse in my check through suitcase. I was charged for my second suitcase $25.00 although I made my reservations long before the new rules were put into place.
Will I travel lighter in the future? Probably. Will I fly to Michigan next year on vacation? No, it is only a 13 hour drive. I will probably drive my own car and save on rental cars and airport parking for a week.
Nikki,
Do you have any friends who have a job in shipping? For a 6 to 8 week stay somewhere, you might be better off shipping your things to your destination than you would be packing and checking them as luggage.
After 9-11, my sister, who is a shipping manager, started shipping the contents of her luggage to her travel destination vs. dealing with the new hassles attached to checking luggage. Now, all she brings with her to the airport–through TSA and straight to the gate–is a small personal bag with her ID, money, and snacks for the flight. When she arrives, her stuff is there, waiting for her. The day of her flight, she re-packs the shipping container she used, return addresses it, and ships it back home. (Or, if she has an early flight, she asks friends or family to ship it back for her.) In addition, she’s never had a lost bag or anything stolen from her luggage using her shipping method.
When the airlines starting charging for bags, I asked her if she could tell me how much her last three flights cost her in shipping. She pulled up the records, and we found that she paid LESS to ship her items than she would have paid in fees had she checked them.
I don’t know if this would work for your situation, but it might be worth researching. With a bit of advance planning, you might be able to save yourself a bit of money AND some big headaches at the airport.
I find all of the above comments valid arguments for not traveling in the air. I too have stopped flying/traveling due to cost. My family is divided up by many states and this movement in over charging consumers just means that I don’t get to see my daughters and their families as often…What a bummer for me!
I realize this is not a concern for Corporate America.
But, so note that we are being controlled by the terrorist’s through our economy. Taking us over militarily is not a concern but we are vulnerable through our economic system. It will be interesting to see how this all shakes out.
Signed: Grandma Becky
The moment that American Airlines instituted the bag fee, I knew it spelled trouble. Does anyone (with two cents worth of brains) honestly believe that that means people will not try to “bring it ALL” on the plane with them in order to avoid the fee? This insane approach only invites chaos into the airline cabins, as if there wasn’t enough for the attendants to do before – managing unruly passengers. It will be even worse now. I can see countless passengers jamming the aisles with their overstuffed suitcases and and insisting that they will fit into the limited overhead space. This is only going to slow down the boarding process – causing delays and endless headaches. Gee, do you think this might make the already surly attendants even more polite and gracious? NO!!!!!
GET REAL!
Just one more way people on a budget get screwed..people paying full fare can take as many as they want while people on a budget get charged?! Whew, God bless America1
This is not a good idea at all. We are going back to the “skeleton” system. Where you get charged for a plane ride, want anything else? pay, pay, pay. When all is said and done, you’ve paid an arm an a leg. The problem is, the basic or skeleton system is that they always keep raising the prices and never get anything in return.
When checking my daughter in the other day at an airline that charges for the 2nd bag, I was amazed at all the HUGE luggage. Everyone seems to have pulled the large suitcases out of the closet and started using them again. Many were overweight, so the fee was double what a 2nd bag would have cost. Seemed like a revenue generator to me! It also means the weight savings is not as great as one might think. Half the number of bags does not equal half the weight. And then there are those fully stuffed carry-ons.
It is sad to see how many people will now be unable to fly based on all the new fees and higher rates. Believe it or not, many people are on very restrictive budgets, ie: social security, students, etc. Many of my friends have already decided to drive instead of flying whenever possible. Is this just another way to squeeze out the middle class? Looks like you’re doing a great job on your part. By the way, my carryon has been getting heavier and heavier. I anticipate this will be the next thing they start weighing. I feel like I’m being nickle and dimed to death by the airlines. I will certainly join those who are choosing to travel by car when possible. It’s becoming much easier and less stressful.