Airlines want you to pack less — or pay more

Gary Stoller, USA TODAY, 2/18/2008 (excerpted)

Editor's Note: This article was published prior to US Airways' announcement regarding checked baggage fees. See first Communiqué article “US Airways Adds $25 Fee for Second Checked Bag.”

A growing number of fliers are finding there's a price to pay for checking bags.

Airlines are charging for bags that once were free to check and raising prices for fliers with lots of luggage, overweight bags and oversized bags.

In May, United Airlines will become the first of the big traditional U.S. carriers to switch from two free checked bags to one. Last month, Southwest Airlines and ATA Airlines switched from three free checked bags to two.

"As they look for ways to boost profitability, we'll see more airlines … charging for items that were previously included in the cost of a ticket," says Kevin Maguire, president of the National Business Travel Association, which represents about 2,500 travel managers and suppliers.

Beginning May 5, United will charge passengers with non-refundable tickets on domestic flights $25 for a second checked bag and $100 per bag for a third, fourth and fifth checked bag. United now charges $85 for a third checked bag, the highest rate of any airline.

Not all United fliers will pay for a second bag. Passengers flying in first or business class and those who have elite status in United's frequent-flier program or its Star Alliance partner program will not be charged.

Also on May 5, the airline will increase its overweight-bag rate (for bags weighing more than 50 pounds) from $50 to $100.

Northwest has the highest overweight-bag rate: $125 for a bag weighing 51 to 70 pounds. JetBlue has the cheapest rate, $20, for such a bag.

Most airlines charge the most for bags weighing 71 to 100 pounds. Four airlines — Aloha, Continental, Hawaiian and Northwest — do not allow such bags to be checked.

Some fliers say increased checked-bag rates will affect passenger behavior.

Rich Mizia, of Concord, Mass., says he "can foresee utter chaos in the cabin because casual travelers are going to stuff their carry-ons until they burst."

He says there will be more late departures because overstuffed carry-on bags will have to be put in the cargo hold at the last minute by disgruntled flight attendants.

Less tolerance

Mizia, a sales manager for a manufacturer, says his job requires him to travel with two checked bags, including one with sophisticated leak-detection equipment.

"There is no way I can carry that on," he says. "The TSA (Transportation Security Administration) people would have a stroke when it goes through the scanner."

Susan Gurley, executive director of the Association of Corporate Travel Executives, which represents about 2,500 corporate travel managers and suppliers, says that higher bag charges will increase travelers' expectations.

"If you are going to charge extra to carry additional bags, you can bet that passengers will be less tolerant of lost baggage, or damaged and delayed bags," she says.

WHAT AIRLINES CHARGE FOR CHECKED BAGGAGE

The following fees are charged by airlines for extra, overweight and oversized checked bags on domestic flights. Most airlines allow two free checked bags; Spirit charges for each checked bag.



Airline


Charge for first
extra bag

Charge per
overweight bag of 51-70 lbs.

Charge per
overweight bag of 71-100 lbs.


Charge per oversized bag

AirTran

$50

$25

$65

$50

Alaska

$50

$25

$50

$50 or $75 [1]

Aloha

$25 or $80 [2]

$25

Not allowed

$50 or $80 [2]

America West

$80

$50

$80

$80

American

$80

$50

$100

$100

ATA

$25

$25

$50

$50

Continental

$100

$50

Not allowed

$100

Delta

$75

$50

$100

$100

Frontier

$50

$50

$50

$50

Hawaiian

$25 or $80 [2]

$25

Not allowed

$50 or $160 [2]

JetBlue

$50

$20

$50 [4]

$50

Midwest

$50

$25

$50

$80

Northwest

$80

$125

Not allowed

$80

Southwest

$25

$25

$50

$50

Spirit

$10 or $20 for first two bags [3], $100 for third bag

$25

$100 [4]

$100 or $150 [1]

United

$85

$50

$50

$100

US Airways

$80

$50

$80

$80

[1] = depending on size; [2] = depending on destination; [3] = $10 if paid in advance online, $20 if paid at airport; [4] = for bag of 71-99 lbs.

Sources: The airlines