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Airline Luggage Wars—-Can It Get Any Worse?

I’ve had my share of luggage horror stories (many of which I’ve shared on this site), but now I am bracing for what could prove to be a cataclysmic move by the airline industry in regards to checked bags.

As if the price of airfare wasn’t enough to force you to vacation in your own backyard airlines are about to take another shot at your wallet via your luggage.

Recently, United Airlines announced that it would be making a major (and alarming) change in its checked baggage policy. Instead of being able to check in two bags for free, as of May 5th, each domestic passenger will be limited to one checked bag weighing up to 50 pounds. According to the airlines, you will have to fork over $25 (each way) to check a second bag—-unless you are holding a refundable (see: more expensive) ticket or hold Premier status or above in the airline’s Mileage Plus program.

And the gouging doesn’t stop there. If you want more than two suitcases to travel with you on your next flight you better start saving now. As of May 5th United will begin charging an additional $100 for each bag beyond two that you want to check in.

And its not just United. US Airways didn’t wait long before it announced it plans to follow United’s lead. The carrier says it will also begin charging domestic passengers $25 if they want to check in a second bag.

Currently, carriers such as American Airlines and Continental have not jumped on the extra luggage fee bandwagon, but after United officials announced that the new baggage fee should generate more than $100 million a year in new revenue you have to know that it’s likely just a matter of time before other major U.S. airlines follow suit and the fee for a second piece of checked luggage becomes standard airline policy.

Those of you who fly on smaller, budget carriers such as Spirit and Skybus Airlines are all ready familiar with luggage fees. But even you will be having to dig deeper into your wallets if you find it impossible to squeeze your business suits into one bag. Spirit Airlines recently announced that it plans to hike its fees for checked items from $5 to $10 per bag when reservations are made online. Passengers who don’t request to check in bags when purchasing tickets online and arrive at the airport with bags they need to be placed in the airplane’s cargo hold will be charged $20 per bag (up from $10). And if you are traveling on Skybus Airlines plan to pay $12 (up from $5) per bag for the first two bags you want checked in.

Last month my family traveled nearly 10,000 miles on United Airlines. I checked in one bag per person on the way to Hawaii and two bags per person on the way back (that’s how much space was needed to tote home all the gifts grandma and grandpa and other family members showered upon my daughter while we were out there) and didn’t have to pay a single dime.

These days we can barely pay for our plane tickets (we flew on award seats this time round) so there is no way I could possibly budget $25 per bag per flight on future trips. I guess I am going to have to learn how to pack a lot more prudently or start taking the maximum amount of carry-ons per family member.

How will the change affect your next flight?

Related Articles:

Protecting Your Luggage

What To Do When Your Luggage Doesn’t Arrive When You Do

Your Bag Could Be Next

Black Bag War

The Gift of Luggage

Last-Minute Gifts for Those Fighting the “Black Bag War”

Travel Gadget–Bag Tracker

The Land of Lost Luggage

Travel Alert: New Airline Carry-On Restrictions

No More Lost Luggage

This entry was posted in General Travel Information and tagged , , , , , , by Michele Cheplic. Bookmark the permalink.

About Michele Cheplic

Michele Cheplic was born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, but now lives in Wisconsin. Michele graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison with a degree in Journalism. She spent the next ten years as a television anchor and reporter at various stations throughout the country (from the CBS affiliate in Honolulu to the NBC affiliate in Green Bay). She has won numerous honors including an Emmy Award and multiple Edward R. Murrow awards honoring outstanding achievements in broadcast journalism. In addition, she has received awards from the Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association for her reports on air travel and the Wisconsin Education Association Council for her stories on education. Michele has since left television to concentrate on being a mom and freelance writer.