United to begin charging for a second checked bag

[cboy4]

The airline will impose a $50 fee on round-trip domestic flights beginning May 5.

By Peter Pae, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer
February 5, 2008

United Airlines will begin charging some passengers $50 to check in a second piece of luggage on domestic round-trip flights, becoming the first big carrier to impose a fee for a service that has long been included in the price of a ticket.

As of late Monday no other major carrier had followed United, but some analysts said that if the move didn't generate significant resistance from consumers, the traditional two-free-bag rule was likely to go the way of other amenities such as free meals and pillows.

"Everybody is chiseling away at everything that you thought you deserve," said Tom Parsons, chief executive of the Bestfares.com travel website. "But people shouldn't be upset because we still want to fly coast to coast for $199."

United, the nation's second-largest airline and one of the busiest at Los Angeles International Airport, cited higher fuel costs for the new fee and said that only about 25% of its passengers check a second bag.

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-bagfee5feb05,0,2995050.story

[SoCalDem]

1. Baggage is out of control.. People go for a week, and pack enough

to set up for a month..

When people are taking a planned trip to a relative's place, they should UPS their stuff a week early, and just have a small carry-on..

and there are few "vacation spots" on the planet where one cannot shop..and those places are usually extremely "casual".. Why on earth schlep all that stuff with you?

My son spent a year in Italy with a carry-on duffle and a box of stuff I mailed to him.. He bought what he needed once he was there, and gave it away when he left to come back to the states..

and we spent 10 days in Tahiti with ONE bag for the two of us..

I see people going away for a 1 week cruise, and you would think they were MOVING :)

[Harry Monroe]

27. Some of us don't have a choice in the matter

I am a ship's officer in the Merchant Marine and I am gone for months at a time and I always have to fly out to catch a ship. I always have to pack 2 bags; work clothes, casual clothes (for going ashore) and I never travel without books and DVD's. I don't have ready access to stores when I am in the middle of the ocean and the places I go are sometimes pretty primitive in terms of shopping. Some of us who work overseas don't have a choice in flying and trying to travel light.

[uppityperson]

29. Some of us pack 2 smaller bags since they are more easily handled.

I spend my money on tickets, have no desire to shop for clothing when visiting family/friends. If all my trips were to Tahiti (as if, big eye roll), it would not be an issue as I would just buy my own private jet instead. There are lots of reasons people fly and take 2 bags.

[SoCalDem]

32. Our trip to tahiti was free...That's the only reason we went

Our normal traveling these days, is by car to visit our Northern California son & his wife..or our annual trip to Vegas with my bowlers :)
:)

[Callalily]

2. It's quite a balancing act

for airlines. People want low fares, so it's only natural that the airlines have to generate extra revenue from somewhere. Charging for an additional bag does not seem unreasonable.

Typically I travel with just a carry-on.

[mvccd1000]

3. I would prefer "a la carte" services from airlines

Leave it up to me to buy the services I want, rather than paying for the ones I don't need.

I check a bag about one in every 6 or 7 times I fly, and I flew 70,000 miles last year; where's the sense in me paying for that service every time? I'd gladly cough up an extra 20% for an extra 3" of room between the seats, though.

[dysfunctional press]

4. there's no fee for checking only one bag...

you're allowed a carry-on and one checked bag for free.

[mvccd1000]

6. Well, not really for "free"; you're paying for it whether you check it or not.

Since I rarely check one, it makes no sense for me to pay the same as the guy who is checking one (or two, on the airlines that allow that).

A woman who is 5'1" would probably not be as interested in paying extra for a seat with more room, but my 6'5" body would sure appreciate the opportunity to do so.

Hence my statement that I would prefer a la carte services. No need for me to pay the fuel costs for my non-existent checked bag, but I'll gladly pay for some extra room.

[dysfunctional press]

9. your 6'5" body probably also uses more fuel than the 5'1" woman...

so to be truly and fairly "ala carte", they could have each passenger step on a scale, and pay their airfare by the pound.

and since airline ticket prices are the same whether you check a bag or not- then YES the first checked bag is "free".

[mvccd1000]

12. True.

I have no problem paying them for the weight I ask them to fly, since that's what determines the amount of fuel used.

I don't like paying them for the weight I don't ask them to fly (i.e., a checked bag).

[trof]

5. American too.

I guess they'll all follow.
Takes jet fuel to haul all that luggage around.

[ThatsMyBarack]

7. ****SOME Passengers?!*** (HELP!)

When I fly to skating competitions, I take two suitcases--one for my skates and costumes, the other for my regular street clothes--plus my (small) backpack as my carry-on (always fits under the seat). I WANT to take my skate bag as my (ONLY) carry-on, but I've heard too many horror stories about security forcing skaters to check skates. Would I end up paying $50 more? What should I do?? :shrug:

[Gormy Cuss]

8. If this sticks, which it probably will, next up will be charging to check any bag.

Theft by baggage handlers and lost bags will still be a free service.

[northzax]

30. yeah, if you pay for your bag

and it gets lost?

of course, now they have something to comp you if you lose a bag.

[Squatch]

10. It'd be cheaper to mail your luggage ahead of you.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

14. That is what many people are starting to do already

to prevent the loss of baggage. I make the same trip to Denver about 8 times a year (give or take). I stay at the same hotel...so, I ship my bag! It makes travel SOOOO much nicer to not have to check anything and it only costs me about $25 bucks and I send it a week out, call the hotel and tell them to expect it...no problems!

sP

[zorahopkins]

11. The Rich Won't Pay This

United won't charge EVERYBODY for a second bag.

They will only charge those people who are flying on a non-refundable ticket to a domestic (US) destination.

"The policy doesn't apply to international flights or to passengers who buy higher-priced refundable tickets or those who have "elite" status with the airline's frequent-flier programs. They will still be able to check two bags for free."

United is sticking it to the middle class and poor.

America sucks.

[mvccd1000]

13. I think when you spend more money for your ticket, you buy more service.

They ARE paying for it, just not separately like the rest of us would.

[zorahopkins]

15. The Rich Get The Good Service

While the rest of us have to go to the back of the bus.

America sucks.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

17. i am not rich by most american standards

but i fly like no one's business! I did nearly 200K in the air last year alone. Why should I, with my flexible expensive ticket, have to pay a baggage fee when you paid 1/5 what I paid for the same seat???

sP

[zorahopkins]

19. Because YOU Can Afford To

You may not think of yourself as rich, but if you (or your company) is well off enough to pay for a "flexible expensive ticket, then you can afford to pay to check a second or a third bag.

Those of us who are not rich enough to afford a "flexible expensive ticket" cannot afford to pay more.

And yet United charges those of us who cannot afford, while letting those who can afford go for free.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

25. your understanding fails yet again...

it isn't about just spending the money because I want to...it is because I HAVE to...flexibility in scheduling requires more expensive tickets...

sP

[jmowreader]

36. I can afford a flexible expensive ticket...

but choose to buy discounted ones instead.

I just use the money I saved to buy film instead--a much wiser investment.

[mvccd1000]

23. That's kind of the way life works, which is a discussion for another thread...

You pay more, you get better service.

Happens at restaurants, repair shops, clothing stores (or tailors, if you pay more), etc.

I'm not surprised that the airlines are no different, but there have been some suggestions offered here to beat the system.

I almost never check a bag, so I object to paying the same as you people who insist on checking 50-100 lbs of luggage.

[ProdigalJunkMail]

16. yeah...your understanding of airfares is astounding

you are aware of course that a fully refundable ticket generally costs anywhere from 3 to 10 times the cost of a non-refundable? And those people with frequent flier status are generally business fliers who frequently buy those tickets and are the lifeblood of airlines!

sP

[zorahopkins]

18. Beg Pardon?

"you are aware of course that a fully refundable ticket generally costs anywhere from 3 to 10 times the cost of a non-refundable?"

So? All that means is that the rich (those able to pay 3 to ten times the cost of a non-refundable ticket) get special treatment. They deserve it, though, because they are rich, right?

"And those people with frequent flier status are generally business fliers who frequently buy those tickets and are the lifeblood of airlines!"

And those are the people who can most afford to pay for checking a second or a third bag. After all, in most cases, the business traveller doesn't pay for his or her ticket -- his or her company does.

United is charging those who are least able to pay, and letting those who are most able to pay get a free ride.

It is not fair.

[gollygee]

20. If they're already paying 3 to 10 times the cost of the other kind of ticket

the airline has made plenty of money off them and probably doesn't need the $50 fee to make a profit from their flight.

[zorahopkins]

21. So Who Is Better Able To Pay?

If someone is already paying 3 to 10 times the cost of the other kind of ticket, don't you think they are also able to afford to pay for checking additional luggage?

Why should people who buy economuy tickets (precisely those people who cannot afford to buy the "expensive" tickets) have to pay for extras? They CANNOT AFFORD to pay for the additional extras.

United is charging people who cannot afford to pay, while NOT charging those who can afford to pay!

It is NOT FAIR!

[ProdigalJunkMail]

24. some people HAVE to pay for scheduling...

but you go on believing that only the 'rich' are paying for these seats...

sP

[northzax]

31. not fair?

please. the only reason the cheap seats exist is to fill in the spaces between the expensive seats. I just flew from DC to Portland and back for $186 on an internet special. no way Northwest is even breaking even on a flight full of people paying $187 to hop across the country. so I fill an otherwise zero revenue seat, board last and don't get legroom. fine. if I wanted all that, I would have had to pay for it.

[karlrschneider]

34. Yeah, well if they can't afford to pay they'll be using Greyhound.

:eyes:

[Matariki]

35. "it is NOT FAIR!"

:rofl:

[Johonny]

22. hmm

I guess I'd be unhappy with this is the Airlines made money year in and year out. I don't see this as Exxon making incredible profits, finds way to make even more money off people. Here the Airlines for long periods of time have lost money. Seems to me a logical ting to do. Charge people for extra weight they bring on a plane. I'm ok with this.

[devilgrrl]

26. Airline service is abysmal. It's a perfect illustration of how bad the USA has gotten in...

the past 25 years under conservative rule.

[uppityperson]

28. link from United here with different allowances.

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,52481,00.html

How to contact them:
http://faq.ua2go.com/display/4n/kb/browse/cat.asp?tab=browse&kb=1&c=12&cpc=WnaqDcP5KrMu623S1OA64DwwrR4UyhK6fv2ylkXXS&cid=1&r=5.741519E-02

[karlrschneider]

33. Odd they picked up a privately-owned plane for their picture

belongs to Wachovia...
:eyes: