Consumerist
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Posts Tagged “
Baggage
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scams
american airlines
American Refunds Canceled Plane Ticket, Keeps $15 Checked Baggage Fee
American refunded Josh's airfare after canceling his flight to New York, but not his $15 checked baggage fee. Though the fee is listed in their system, American won't issue a refund unless Josh sends a formal request letter along with his baggage claim receipt to Tulsa, Oklahoma. More »
airline baggage fees
How to Avoid Airline Baggage Fees
The bad news is that because of high fuel costs, United Airlines and US Airways will be following American Airlines in charging a $15 first-bag fee. The even worse news is that most of the remaining airlines will probably follow suit with the exception Southwest who locked in their fuel prices several years ago. Since the airlines are attempting to cash in on baggage fees, SmartMoney offers some tips on how to avoid them. The tips, inside... More »
Pack A Bag
United To Require Minimum Stays Starting In October
Sorry travelers, as expected, United Airlines will require minimum stays on all flights starting in October. Gone are the halcyon days of jetting away for a business meeting after breakfast with time to spare before returning for dinner. Most United fares will now require a three-night or weekend stay, but it "will depend on the destinations involved, the price of the ticket and the length of the flight." And, yes, you will still be charged $15 to check your first bag. More »
Bookmark this: Rick Seaney has created a chart of all the airline fees and promises to keep it updated as the fees change. [Rick Seaney]
spirit airlines
Spirit Airlines Increases Fees For First Checked Bag
Spirit Air will raise its fees for checking one bag, according to an email from the airline. On June 20th, Spirit will increase the fee for checking one bag from $10 to $15 if the checked bag is declared online, and from $20 to $25 if it is declared at check in. And Spirit's belief that any publicity is good publicity continues.
Yep, you guessed it: US Airways is going to charge $15 for the first checked bag. [Yahoo!] (Thanks, James!)
more checked baggage fees
United Airlines To Charge $15 For First Checked Bag
You knew it was coming and well, it's here. United Airlines has announced that they will begin charging $15 for the first checked bag. More »
airlines
Department Of Transportation Says Airlines Can't Charge Extra Baggage Fees After Ticket Purchase
The Secretary of Transportation announced earlier this month that airlines shouldn't surprise consumers with extra baggage fees after they've already purchased a ticket:
More »Passengers should know what to expect, and what to pay, before they buy a ticket or pack their bags, which is why we are calling for carriers and travel agents to disclose baggage fees in their internet and print ads before anyone purchases a ticket. We also are making it clear that airlines may not impose increased fees or new restrictions for baggage after a passenger has bought a ticket.
fees
What To Expect From Airlines Now That Oil Is $130 A Barrel
Scott McCartney, who writes the Wall Street Journal's "Middle Seat" column, has some thoughts about what consumers can expect from airlines, now that oil has hit $130 a barrel. He says that "he change in oil prices from a year ago to today translates into $24.6 billion in added fuel costs for passengers and cargo airlines on an annualized basis," which is more than the airline industry has ever earned— its best year saw $5.3 billion in earnings. More »
annoying
United Airlines Will Not Let You Report Your Damaged Baggage For "Security Reasons"
Reader Sid is having a hell of a time reporting some damaged luggage to United Airlines. More »
contracts
Delta's Retroactive Baggage Fee Entitles Travelers To A Full Refund
Passengers who purchased Delta tickets before the airline announced its new baggage surcharge can request a full refund thanks to Delta's contract of carriage. According to the contract, you "may request a full refund" if Delta makes a change that "materially affects the terms and conditions of your ticket purchase." Most travelers won't exercise their right to a refund, but if that planned vacation is starting to look a little too pricey, this tip is for you. More »
travel
JetBlue To Charge $20 For Second Checked Bag
JetBlue announced its first quarter results today and while things aren't as bleak as they are over at United Airlines, the discount carrier said that it was struggling under the weight of its fuel bill and was going to modify its baggage check policy in order to remain competitive with other airlines. More »
travel
British Airways' New Hi-Tech Baggage System Routes All Luggage To A Big Pile
British Airways is having trouble with its new baggage system—namely, that it doesn't actually sort and route the baggage to the correct flight. On Sunday they claimed that 15,000 bags had missed their flights and were now being stored at Heathrow. However, the UK's Aviation Minister said yesterday that the number was closer to 28,000. More »
travel
5 Airlines You Shouldn't Trust With Your Luggage
The Department of Transportation's 2007 Air Travel Consumer Report is out. Here are the 5 airlines with the most baggage handling complaints per customer in 2007. Better luck next year! More »
corruption
JFK Airport Is Notoriously Corrupt: Baggage Handlers Caught Stealing $250,000 In Diamonds
Not long after JetBlue customer service people were caught stealing credit card numbers, and baggage handlers were busted for running a smuggling ring, JFK finds itself in the middle of yet another scandal.We won't lie, corrupt baggage handlers piss us off. These two specimens broke open the container and stole the jewelry, hiding it in a locker at the American Airlines terminal. More »
Queens prosecutors said Monday that a 51-year-old worker and his 39-year-old supervisor are charged with grand larceny and possession of stolen property. They say the jewelry was stolen last week from a container marked "high value" that was being shipped from Switzerland to Brazil.
goals
U.S. Airways Offers Employees $100 Bonus For Meeting Baggage Goals
U.S. Airways has something of a problem when it comes to transporting their customers' belongings. They're just not very good at it, particularly in Philadelphia. More »
travel
American Airlines Baggage Chief: "There's A Lot Of Opportunity For Failure"
The New York Times is taking a look at American Airlines' recent effort to improve their checked baggage operation. Who would have thought that dirty printers were causing lost baggage?Workers at American found that printers that produce adhesive tags for bags were often dirty. That made bar codes hard to read, leading to misdirected bags. Regular wiping of the printer heads helped, but even with a clean printer, the bar code readers are only about 90 to 92 percent accurate, said Denise P. Wilewski, manager of airport services for American here.More »
