$25 to Check a Second Bag on United Airlines
Mon Feb 4, 2008 9:56PM EST
See Comments (19)
File under: You gotta be kidding me. Starting May 5, you'll have to pay an extra $25 to check a second piece of luggage on United Airlines. Unless there's rioting on the jetway, expect other airlines to follow suit. They always do.
United says the change will generate $100 million in revenue and cost savings a year... and it will probably cause untold havoc on actual planes, too. Why? Because all those people that would normally check a second bag will probably try to carry them on instead of paying the 25 dollar fee, and that will mean longer lines at security, less room in those already jam-packed overhead bins, and more of those people wandering up and down the cabin at takeoff time trying to find room for their bags at the last minute... only to have them gate checked at the last minute. Will those bags cost an extra $25, I wonder? Will the flight attendents collect the money? And will they prefer exact change as they do for that terrible mini bottle of white wine? But hey, it'll save United a couple of bucks, so let's all give 'em a hand.
Premier customers, international travelers, and anyone traveling in a pricier part of the plane will have the fee waived.
While I understand the airlines need to make money in an era of $4 gas, I can't help but feel like nickel and diming passengers isn't the way to do it. Southwest charges more to let you get on the plane first. And some airlines are even talking about charging for an assigned seat. On Northwest you pay extra to ride in the exit row.
Why not just raise prices modestly across the board and leave services the way they've been? Oh, right, because if you don't have the absolute "lowest fare," no one will ride on your plane. Meh.
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7 Posted by cokroach on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:28PM EDT Report Abuse
I think all airlines should eliminate carry on luggage anyway. I'm sick of every time I travel having to listen to the security people yelling about liquids and clear plastic bags, only to have some complete moron still try to get them through. I think it should be limited to what you can carry in your pockets or small bag (small enough to be comfortable in your lap the entire flight). There really is NO REASON to carry shampoo and make up on an airplane. Or the airlines could at least have an express lane through security for those of us that understand that we don't have to have everything we own on the plane with us.
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8 Posted by scottiecordes on Thu Sep 3, 2009 9:08PM EDT Report Abuse
Michael Anderson...you obviously did not comprehend my post. And the personal insults are way out of line. I am not ashamed of myself nor my attitude. I am entitled to my opinion, as you are entitled to yours. If you dont want to pay the extra money, dont bring an extra suitcase. It is that simple. If you dont want the airplane meal, dont buy it. It is that simple. If you dont want those four dollar Heinekens, dont buy them. It is that simple. I am not glad about additional costs. However, I am glad that I can avoid them as I wish. Aside from travel overseas, everybody should be able to keep it to one checked bag. You can always do a load of laundry at your destination if necessary! cokroach, your idea about no carry on is not bad. However, for people who have a garment bag and a checked luggage bag, they would be subject to the extra fee, since they no longer would be able to bring the garment bag onboard. Also, as a former weekly business traveler, the ability to bring a garment bag on board was a nice way to avoid checking bags in the first place. So for that reason, I cannot support that view, but I respect how you got there. There should indeed be an express line.
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9 Posted by applebiteca on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:57PM EDT Report Abuse
The issue as I see it is that consumers are paying more for less. Will we all stop flying? No. We don't protest anything. We're too busy trying to figure out a way to pay. Unless a company has a particularly odious product, Americans will pay. And pay through the nose -- on everything. When business/corporate customers start using online/virtual meeting modalities and people stop flying only then will United and their brethern finally bite dust and I say good riddance.
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10 Posted by rapmetal47 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:29PM EDT Report Abuse
This is true crud. I'll never pay for that garbage; those greedy fools! I'd rather have freedom than saftey.
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11 Posted by bradconner on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:12PM EDT Report Abuse
I think at some point we are all going to have to realize that we will actually have to pay for something. Let us not over look that fact that the charge is not likely to help United become "super rich". They are projecting 100 million, but rather than get mad at United for trying to find innovative ways to keep their doors open and their employees paid, let's talk about the price of gas and Exxon's reported 40 billion in profits. Clearly we should be looking at why we pay so much for gas and its impact on the entire country's travel. Some one up there said driving is looking more attractive...have you seen the price for a gallon of gas? Talking conservatively, $3/gallon in a car that gets 25 miles/gallon. Let's say you need to travel from Los Angeles to New York and you decide to drive rather than pay the extra $25 for that second bag. That trip is approximately 2,778 miles. You will need about 112 gallons of gas. That is $333.36 in gas. Checking United.com for a trip leaving Los Angeles on the 20th of February, the airfare, $289.00. So, even if you add 35 bucks for a second bag it is still cheaper to fly, and we are not even talking about food or lodging as you take 3 days to drive across the country. And don't forget about the depreciation cost for driving your car that distance. Me, I will pay the $25 dollars.
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12 Posted by maleman14001 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:04PM EDT Report Abuse
What they really need to do it elimanate the second carry on, and I mean ANY 2nd be it a laptop, luggage or even a purse. That would really put a crimp in my wife's flying scheme.
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13 Posted by ecarpent@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:51PM EDT Report Abuse
BradConner...I have flown for many years. If the price of gas is the issue the airlines face, then they should just simply raise the price of the ticket. It's smoke and mirrors to keep the price of the ticket down then nickel and dime us on every other aspect of the flight. Eliminating unnecessary services like meals was a gift to passengers and flight attendants alike. Many times I have flown and gotten by with JUST a carry-on for the week. When I traveled with my children, it goes without saying that you need more than just their clothes and shoes for a trip that lasts a week or two. And I have driven cross country many times when going from NY to LA and then returned. Saving time is the advantage the airlines can offer travelers. If you are not in a hurry, then driving is a terrific option. Air travel may soon be an option only for the wealthy. The airlines depend on volume to stay afloat, it really isn't business savvy to alienate the copious numbers of average travelers in favor of the FEW wealthy travelers. I don't think 2 suitcases per person is excessive, and apparently the airlines didn't think so either... until now.
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14 Posted by herbrock17 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:18PM EDT Report Abuse
Cokroach...try www.flyclear.com for the "Express Lane" you are in search of. It's $128/year but probably worth it if a frequent traveler. Peace all
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15 Posted by keithvsg on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:49PM EDT Report Abuse
Thanks to the stupidity and incompetence of the airline industry and it's docile government servant, the FAA, commercial airline travel has become a punishment, not a pleasure. This race to the bottom for rock bottom prices and rock bottom customer service has produced the predictable result; a product that I, and many others, simply do not want. Why do you think that business jets, rental jets, timeshare jets and private jets are proliferating and causing massive airway and airport congestion? Because those of us who can afford to are abandoning the commercial flights as junk we don't have to suffer. If you think that does not affect you, the lowest price fare payer, let me point out that the only thing keeping the commercial airlines afloat is the profit from those same 'premium' passengers who are are abandoning the commercial flights in droves. If you keep insisting on the lowest possible price irrespective of the dreadful service you get, the day is going to come when you won't have any commercial flight available to you. There is a wise saying, "He who accepts the lowest bid gets what he deserves"; you might want to think about that on your next purchase of that deeply discounted air fare.
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16 Posted by windy268@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:47PM EDT Report Abuse
I WROTE UNITED AS SOON AS LEARNED OF THE $25. THEY SAID THAT THEY DIDN'T THINK IT WOULD BE A PROBLEM AFTER EVERYONE ADJUSTED
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17 Posted by katekaterina1 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:47PM EDT Report Abuse
Here is my 2 cents, we will be traveling with 3 kids soon, and now (besides 2nd bag charge) airlines have started charging for a car seat check in, which is $50/per car seat, so we will have to pay $150 to check in 3 toddler car seats (where we only paid $30 for a car seat when we bought it), or they gave us an option to carry 3 kids and 3 car seats to the gate to avoid the fee, JUST CAN NOT picture myself carrying 3 little kids and 3 car seats on me, and our carry on bags and diaper bags and our laptop and a stroller. Whats next?????? Flying very soon will be a luxury!!!!
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18 Posted by dayshift42 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:38PM EDT Report Abuse
does anyone know if airtran is charging for the first carry on?
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19 Posted by dayshift42 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:38PM EDT Report Abuse
I payed for my airline tickets in march 2008 for fla.thank god I did.because after that gas went up and the amt for luggage. so the first bag they wont charge you? but the second they will right?
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6 Posted by plaga_nerezza on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:14PM EDT Report Abuse
They all charge for weight on luggage over 50lbs. It wouldn't be bad if that fee was round trip. 50 dollars to carry an additional 50lbs? That is 1 dollar a pound Why not charge people over 300lbs 1 additional dollar a pound? This is absurd when you do the math.