Delta Airlines announced yesterday that they will be doubling the fee for a second checked bag, blaming high fuel costs and asserting that it’s “still a good value when compared with shipping or luggage services.”

You can avoid the charges by becoming an “elite” member of Delta’s frequent flier program, or by flying internationally. The fees do not apply to First Class passengers. In addition to the fee for a second bag, the charge for checking a third, fourth or fifth bag, now $80 for each bag, will rise to $125 apiece, says the New York Times. Checking a third bag internationally will now cost coach passengers $150.

“Fewer than 20 percent of our customers check a second bag; I would imagine that it would be even less for a third,” a Delta spokeswoman, Betsy Talton, said. “It’s still a good value when compared with shipping or luggage services.”

Delta Raises Fee for a Second Bag [NYT]
(Photo: saramarie )

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