United to start charging for second piece of luggage

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

United to start charging for second bag - News - MSNBC.com

This is ridiculous! I can just see it promoting even more carry on and slowing down the boarding process even more. We usually don't have more than one checked bag each, except when we are bringing dd back and forth to school.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

United Airlines will begin charging passengers $25 to check in a second piece of luggage for domestic travel if they are not part of its most-frequent-flier programs, the airline said Monday.

Well if we can go to england with one bag a piece each I guess it's not a real big problem but this is a bit much. Wonder if the other majors will follow suit.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

Lawren, if it's just for domestic travel it wouldn't affect your trip to London anyway.

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Lawren, if it's just for domestic travel it wouldn't affect your trip to London anyway.

I know that! I'm not being that blonde today. I mean when we went in August we used Ryan Air and they have a one bag limit. So we can do it if we must but this is onboxious.

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

Got it, .

This if from the article. In reading closer it looks like it might not apply to tickets that were purchased prior to Monday. Still a major pain.

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United Airlines will begin charging passengers $25 to check in a second piece of luggage for domestic travel if they are not part of its most-frequent-flier programs, the airline said Monday.

The charge will generate more than $100 million in revenue and cost savings each year, UAL Corp. said. The change takes effect May 5 and applies to tickets purchased on or after Monday.

Travelers would have to log at least 25,000 miles in a year on United to ensure they can check their second bag for free.

[dougp26364 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close dougp26364]

Looks like United has just moved to the bottom of my list I'll fly.

Honestly, why do U.S. airlines feel that providing less customer service, more restrictions and charges for basic services will suddenly make them more profitable? All it's making me do is look at vacation destinations within driving distance rather than destinations that require a flight.

Recently I experineced being limited to one carry on with NWA affiliate Pinnacle Airlines (Air Link). That one carry on included a womans purse, briefcase or computer.

If airlines keep cutting services I feel they'll likely cut themselves right out of the business. On the other hand, this gives discount carriers or new start ups a great way to compete with the legacy carriers. All they have to do is actually provide service to their customers.

[camachinist Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close camachinist]

United Airlines - Domestic baggage information

Tickets purchased on or after February 4, 2008, for travel on or after May 5, 2008:
Mileage Plus status / Type of ticket Free bag allowance Maximum weight
Non-members or General Members of Mileage Plus on non-refundable Economy fares 1 50 lbs/23kg
All First or Business class customers / All Economy class customers on refundable fares / All Premier and Premier Associate Mileage Plus members on any fare 2 50 lbs/23kg each
Global Services, 1K, Premier Executive Mileage Plus members and Star Alliance Gold members on any fare 3 70 lbs/32kg each

Annecdotal evidence indicates that practical useage will have UA elites checking excess bags of their traveling partners into their allowance. For example, as a 1K with UA, I can check 3 bags @ 70lbs ea. So, even if I have two bags and my wife (a non-status GM) has two, I will check one of her bags (up to 70lbs) on my ticket and her remaining bag will, subject to the 50lb maximum, be checked on her ticket.

At this juncture, we're unclear whether UA will charge traveling parties of elites beyond their first bag, but evidence from past changes indicates that TA's are reluctant to do so. I've had some TA's attempt to charge us for "overweight" bags, but, once they're made aware of Star Alliance rules for my status, they relent. We may find any leniency limited to those pax on the same PNR (reservation) as the elite.

Remember, as mentioned, this is for domestic (CONUS, Canada, US Territories IIRC) itineraries purchased on/after today and flown after May 5, 2008.

More information and opinion here:

UAL to charge $25 to check second bag for certain customers and other related changes - FlyerTalk Forums

I expect this thread to be voluminous

Pat

[Luanne Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Luanne]

Yes, when I went to the United website I got the sad truth. After May there will be no exceptions, it doesn't matter when the ticket was purchased.

[catwgirl Contributor - Bronze Find all posts View Profile Close catwgirl]

Jeeesshhh.... what happened to the friendly skies??

[camachinist Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close camachinist]

Air travel is obscenely cheap compared to a generation ago, as a percentage of average income. As an example, my parents could afford to have me schooled privately but never flew anywhere for pleasure because they thought it too expensive. My dad flew for business. I probably traveled more in the last year than they did in their entire lives. Cheap airfare (and knowledge of how to use/game the systems) provided that opportunity.

I don't think this is a big deal, but just part of a process of unbundling fees/charges that is rampant in the corporate world these days. I'm sure it's taught in some MBA course in college

Me, I like clients to see one simple price and have no fine print, but I'm a dinosaur in that regard.

As has been mentioned in numerous places, if the other legacies sit on their hands for any significant period of time, UA will likely back down...

Pat

[ArtsieAng Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close ArtsieAng]

I really do need to learn how to pack light and travel happy.

[1950bing Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close 1950bing]

Look at it this way: They will be able to boast about how their numbers of lost baggage has gone down so very much!

[lawren2 Malibu Beach Barbie & A Super Moderator Find all posts View Profile Close lawren2]

Look at it this way: They will be able to boast about how their numbers of lost baggage has gone down so very much!

True.

[bnoble Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close bnoble]

Didn't united try a similar fuel surcharge recently that wasn't followed? It looks to me as though they are searching for a way to raise revenue that the other majors will play ball on.

[Beaglemom3 Senior Member Find all posts View Profile Close Beaglemom3]

Well, when you think of it, jet fuel has gone from $40 barrel to around $107. It was inevitable.

Maybe we should all arrive early and help push off from the gate ?