...and $225 for a fourth? $350 for a fifth?!?

Delta is the bane of Atlanta, you are at the mercy of them for years and the outrageous prices.

So how much do I get off my ticket if don't carry any bags? 100 bucks off?

They can kiss my ass. My Volvo will get me wherever I need to go.

The airlines will always be bloated, mismanaged, and they suck hard. If passengers would revolt and quit flying, maybe something would change.

I wish they'd just charge per pound and be done with the nickle and dime fees.

Why is this being posted again? We had a big post on it yestserday:

[consumerist.com]

Jesus Christ Consumerist, this was already posted yesterday and is still on the FRONT PAGE.

I think consumerist really hates Delta as well..

@MrGutts:

Here in Dallas we are beholden to American...who spent years restricting Southwests flights through the Wright Amendment. It seems like the behemoths like to pick a hub city and then run out the competition by any means necessary.

It is cheaper, especially internationally, for me to drive three hours to Houston to fly out of IAH/Bush/whatever they are calling it these days. To me, that is a clear sign that American is taking advantage of their presence in Dallas.

Déja vu. Guess Consumerist feels Delta needs to be bitch-slapped repeatedly for this.

HOWEVER, I actually think this might be to some consumers' benefit. Delta could have announced a price hike across the board. That would be unfair for business people who fly regularly with one overnight bag, so this becomes a tiered price hike related to how much you travel with. It's actually a good thing... if it was like only $20 per bag.

Honestly, where are you going that you need more than 50 lbs of luggage? That sounds like a cross-country move or going off to school or something. If that's the case, you should look into a freight carrier. I think that Delta is trying to accommodate it's passengers and a reasonable amount of personal items, while not becoming a shipping company.

I'm not posting my links again... :P

My mom just got a voucher to waive a second bag fee the next time she flies Delta (after her adventures last weekend, the chance of that is nil), and now it's even more valuable.

Does StubHub let you sell airline vouchers? ;-)

Wow! They must made it financially reasonable to ship my bags using USPS Flat rate boxes.

how far can this go before people just stop flying?

"It's still a good value when compared with shipping or luggage services."

Fedex Ground coast-to-coast for my suitcase is about $30. Granted, I'd have to send it a few days in advance, but even to overnight it is less than $125, and at least I get a tracking number. I'd bet UPS is even cheaper.

@gaberussell: An no lugging it through the airport.

@Elvisisdead: Good point. FedEx will pick it up at my office for $4, and I believe Ground pickups are free.

When shipping your bag is cheaper than checking it, something is very wrong.

@FatLynn:

I don't think I would ever need more than 50lbs to get there, but once I'm there and do shopping, I'll have a second bag of clothes/souveniers/duty free alcohol...

@Triborough: Nothing wrong with forcing travelers to travel light and to consider the safety of others by not weighing down the plane. God knows we have enough fat people to carry around already.

I'm all for it.

They will start charging overweight people too. It's about time.

Delta is going to price themselves right out of the business if they keep this pace up.

I dont think they would ever do this, but the most fair thing to do is make you get on the scale with your bags. You get say 250lbs (as an example) for free and you pay for every lb over that. Then people are paying proportional to what the airline is hauling.

We solved the "baggage" problem several years ago when we went on a cruise. Called a luggage shipper, they picked up our bags at our home, and we reunited with the bags on the ship. Couldn't have been easier. Every bag had a tracking number, and included was shipment back home after the cruise. The price we paid was worth every penny - and we'd do it again. The airlines can put their "fees" where the sun don't shine.

@JaguarChick: I know how you feel. I live in ATL and it is all Delta all the time. AirTran tries but really this is a Delta town, especially internationally. I am fortunate that the majority of my flights are ATL-NYC so I have four airlines (Delta, American, Continental and AirTran) to play off each other. Of course, Atlanta and NYC are probably the two biggest towns that Southwest doesn't serve (Islip does not count).

Fifth bag: One MILLION dollars. Mwa ha ha ha ha.

@B: I want per-pound pricing for my baggage AND my scrawny ass. I'd make out like a bandit and I think it's quite fair. It takes less fuel to move me than the overweight person whose belly is slithering over the armrest and into my seat. So, why should I be paying for their excess (and having to deal with a very uncomfortable flight)?

Does this strike anyone else as INSANE? They are getting greedier by the second.

Soon breathing in their planes will carry a charge.

@qwickone: Well put. Why should my skinny butt that weighs in at 140lbs have to pay the same as some tubbo that weighs three times my weight? The average weight of luggage has not been increasing but the average weight of the passengers sure has...how about pricing accordingly?

And I have to say I'm frustrated that airlines tack on these extra fees rather than raise the ticket price to remain competitive in the online booking sites. I know why they do it, but for people like me who actually will calculate the TOTAL cost of a trip before booking it, it just adds extra work to what I do. I WILL find out what your total cost is, so stop putting so many damn barriers in my way.

Soon, they'll ask for an ARM and a LEG.

What about people who aren't overweight, but freakishly tall like myself? Goddamn all your heightist bastards and your heightist comments! It's not my fault that I was born taller (and sexier) than most people, so suddenly I would be charged more for it? Considering that some airlines tout leg room as a FEATURE and I'm constantly getting left out on that point, I'd say you little people already have an unfair advantage.
End the heightist comments now! Boooooo

Wait what? What happened to 2-3 bags as part of the ticket price? Since when was having two suitcases charged extra? Only been 1 year since I last flew :S

just one of the many reasons i no longer give my business to these conglomerate companies, rather, i give it to the little guy like jetblue or southwest. i must say, my experiences have never been better... :||

Good. Frankly I'm tired of "bag pigs" bringing 2 or 3 bags on board with them, and then me getting cheated out of a storage space and having to stow my one bag under the seat for people to kick or having to clutch it on my lap. Planes are smaller today, fuel is more expensive -- it's time people stop being adult babies and start traveling lighter or wait at the carousel -- or pay the price.

@DanCentury: Read the headline: Delta is charging for *checked* bags (i.e. on the carousel). This will only increase the number of so-called "bag pigs".