Comments on: 7 ways to avoid checked baggage fees http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/7-ways-to-avoid-checked-baggage-fees/ The last honest travel site Sat, 11 Feb 2012 22:03:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Leave the Fees Behind - Air Travel | Top Trips http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/7-ways-to-avoid-checked-baggage-fees/comment-page-1/#comment-17901 Leave the Fees Behind - Air Travel | Top Trips Wed, 25 Nov 2009 20:08:29 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=17128#comment-17901 [...] recent flight from Los Angeles to Boise, Idaho, she tried to carry all of her luggage on the plane. Read More Do you like this?    Not Yet Rated Related Tags: air travel, budget, deals [...] [...] recent flight from Los Angeles to Boise, Idaho, she tried to carry all of her luggage on the plane. Read More Do you like this?    Not Yet Rated Related Tags: air travel, budget, deals [...]

]]> By: Pamm http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/7-ways-to-avoid-checked-baggage-fees/comment-page-1/#comment-14515 Pamm Thu, 13 Aug 2009 16:36:56 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=17128#comment-14515 Holy cow TJ!! You each had a rolling suitcase, a daypack AND "one combined checked bag was the largest size for checking", FOR A 5 DAY TRIP????? That is excessive for a 5 month trip. I am going for two months in a 21" carryon and a 12" rollerboard for electronics. Period. My traveling companion is doing the same thing for five and a half months. And we are going from sub-zero temperatures to the Namibian desert. All in a 22" bag. Okay - so I don't ever want to see those clothes again, but is it really necessary to bring 100 pounds of stuff for a 5 day trip? Holy cow TJ!! You each had a rolling suitcase, a daypack AND “one combined checked bag was the largest size for checking”, FOR A 5 DAY TRIP????? That is excessive for a 5 month trip.

I am going for two months in a 21″ carryon and a 12″ rollerboard for electronics. Period. My traveling companion is doing the same thing for five and a half months. And we are going from sub-zero temperatures to the Namibian desert. All in a 22″ bag.

Okay – so I don’t ever want to see those clothes again, but is it really necessary to bring 100 pounds of stuff for a 5 day trip?

]]> By: Jen http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/7-ways-to-avoid-checked-baggage-fees/comment-page-1/#comment-14376 Jen Fri, 07 Aug 2009 20:25:35 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=17128#comment-14376 Im going to florida in a week and this will be my first time flying. I've been trying to get all the info and just when I thought I got it all. Here comes the info. of the checked baggage. I will be taking us airways and I looked on their site and I could be paying more for my baggage then my plane ticket. My suit case is sort of big. I'm hoping to keep it under the 50 pounds to keep from spending the extra $50 but then there's the fact that it is alittle big so that may be $100 more. It's all very overwhelming for me. And do I have to pay this both ways, going there then my return flight home? Also, when I get to the airport to change flights do I need to look for my checked baggage and make sure it gets on the flight I'm getting on or will I just need to get on the other plane? Please help. lol Im going to florida in a week and this will be my first time flying. I’ve been trying to get all the info and just when I thought I got it all. Here comes the info. of the checked baggage. I will be taking us airways and I looked on their site and I could be paying more for my baggage then my plane ticket. My suit case is sort of big. I’m hoping to keep it under the 50 pounds to keep from spending the extra $50 but then there’s the fact that it is alittle big so that may be $100 more.
It’s all very overwhelming for me. And do I have to pay this both ways, going there then my return flight home?
Also, when I get to the airport to change flights do I need to look for my checked baggage and make sure it gets on the flight I’m getting on or will I just need to get on the other plane?
Please help. lol

]]> By: Hapgood http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/7-ways-to-avoid-checked-baggage-fees/comment-page-1/#comment-14310 Hapgood Wed, 05 Aug 2009 17:44:06 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=17128#comment-14310 Frank: "YOU forgot to mention that the “even more legroom on Jetblue” comes as an extra fee!" That's true, but it's not what I was referring to. Their normal seats have "lots of legroom" (at they put it), noticeably more than you'd get on any "legacy carrier." But if that's not enough, you can indeed pay an extra fee for "even more legroom," which is available because JetBlue's executives decided that removing a row of seats would produce more cost savings than the lost revenue. "Lots of legroom" is an important reason I prefer JetBlue. Frank: “YOU forgot to mention that the “even more legroom on Jetblue” comes as an extra fee!”

That’s true, but it’s not what I was referring to. Their normal seats have “lots of legroom” (at they put it), noticeably more than you’d get on any “legacy carrier.” But if that’s not enough, you can indeed pay an extra fee for “even more legroom,” which is available because JetBlue’s executives decided that removing a row of seats would produce more cost savings than the lost revenue. “Lots of legroom” is an important reason I prefer JetBlue.

]]> By: DavidB http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/7-ways-to-avoid-checked-baggage-fees/comment-page-1/#comment-14291 DavidB Wed, 05 Aug 2009 00:11:09 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=17128#comment-14291 Question to DaveS; What airline do you work for and how high in upper management are you? Using your logic if every company could just start charging extra for whatever they happen to pick, it would be fine It will cramp me a little but my flying days are numbered. Baggage has been included as part of the fare since the inception of air travel. Now airlines have found out they can charge us and the fees will keep climbing. Remember whan food was includecd on longer flights. Next they will charge a clothing allowance for whats on our backs. I'm an older person and if the airlines could provide everything in their fare before (for many decades) why can't they now. They were too busy pcketing high profits and letting their fleets get old and not competetive. Question to DaveS; What airline do you work for and how high in upper management are you? Using your logic if every company could just start charging extra for whatever they happen to pick, it would be fine It will cramp me a little but my flying days are numbered.
Baggage has been included as part of the fare since the inception of air travel. Now airlines have found out they can charge us and the fees will keep climbing. Remember whan food was includecd on longer flights.
Next they will charge a clothing allowance for whats on our backs.
I’m an older person and if the airlines could provide everything in their fare before (for many decades) why can’t they now.
They were too busy pcketing high profits and letting their fleets get old and not competetive.

]]> By: Frank http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/7-ways-to-avoid-checked-baggage-fees/comment-page-1/#comment-14289 Frank Tue, 04 Aug 2009 22:29:04 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=17128#comment-14289 On August 4th, 2009 at 10:14 am Hapgood said And Frank, how much do most of the items on your list matter to the leisure traveler who is just looking for the lowest cost, isn’t a frequent flyer, and doesn’t have an employer’s deep pocket to pay for business class or first class? You also forgot to mention that JetBlue offers something you won’t get from any “legacy carrier” in Steerage: “lots of leg room.” =========================================================== Many leisure travelers maintain frequent flyer programs. In fact, look at the MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of people who do. Many of "them" use miles to upgrade. Most premium cabins are occupied by "upgrades." and, YOU forgot to mention that the "even more legroom on Jetblue" comes as an extra fee! On August 4th, 2009 at 10:14 am Hapgood said
And Frank, how much do most of the items on your list matter to the leisure traveler who is just looking for the lowest cost, isn’t a frequent flyer, and doesn’t have an employer’s deep pocket to pay for business class or first class? You also forgot to mention that JetBlue offers something you won’t get from any “legacy carrier” in Steerage: “lots of leg room.”
===========================================================

Many leisure travelers maintain frequent flyer programs. In fact, look at the MILLIONS AND MILLIONS of people who do. Many of “them” use miles to upgrade. Most premium cabins are occupied by “upgrades.” and, YOU forgot to mention that the “even more legroom on Jetblue” comes as an extra fee!

]]> By: Amy http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/7-ways-to-avoid-checked-baggage-fees/comment-page-1/#comment-14281 Amy Tue, 04 Aug 2009 18:44:44 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=17128#comment-14281 And what happens to lost luggage? Do I get my fee back? I don't think I would mind a baggage fee so much if it weren't so costly. Does it REALLY cost $50 for my bag to fly? That's an extra $100 round trip to take my things. I don't have an extra $100 to burn on some fee. I'd rather take a train, where the journey may be longer, but the scenery is better, the company can be great, the fare much cheaper, and my bag downstairs and easily accessible to me at any time. And what happens to lost luggage? Do I get my fee back? I don’t think I would mind a baggage fee so much if it weren’t so costly. Does it REALLY cost $50 for my bag to fly? That’s an extra $100 round trip to take my things. I don’t have an extra $100 to burn on some fee. I’d rather take a train, where the journey may be longer, but the scenery is better, the company can be great, the fare much cheaper, and my bag downstairs and easily accessible to me at any time.

]]> By: Robert http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/7-ways-to-avoid-checked-baggage-fees/comment-page-1/#comment-14276 Robert Tue, 04 Aug 2009 17:05:17 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=17128#comment-14276 I wouldn't mind paying the checked baggage fee if airlines had a "service guarantee" associated with it. For example, you will get your bag delivered to the baggage carousel within 30 minutes of the aircraft's arrival at the gate. If it's not there in time you get your money back, or a voucher for free checked baggage the next time you fly. I wouldn’t mind paying the checked baggage fee if airlines had a “service guarantee” associated with it. For example, you will get your bag delivered to the baggage carousel within 30 minutes of the aircraft’s arrival at the gate. If it’s not there in time you get your money back, or a voucher for free checked baggage the next time you fly.

]]> By: Hapgood http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/7-ways-to-avoid-checked-baggage-fees/comment-page-1/#comment-14269 Hapgood Tue, 04 Aug 2009 15:14:56 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=17128#comment-14269 8. Choose a destination that doesn't require flying. That will avoid not only the fees, but a number of other sources of needless frustration. Airline executives think they can get away with fees, fees, and more fees because we don't have a choice. But we actually do. If the airline executives succeed at the apparent goal of making air travel so unpleasant that their customers decide it's not worth the aggravation, people will start looking at alternatives they may not have considered. And Frank, how much do most of the items on your list matter to the leisure traveler who is just looking for the lowest cost, isn't a frequent flyer, and doesn't have an employer's deep pocket to pay for business class or first class? You also forgot to mention that JetBlue offers something you won't get from any "legacy carrier" in Steerage: "lots of leg room." 8. Choose a destination that doesn’t require flying. That will avoid not only the fees, but a number of other sources of needless frustration. Airline executives think they can get away with fees, fees, and more fees because we don’t have a choice. But we actually do. If the airline executives succeed at the apparent goal of making air travel so unpleasant that their customers decide it’s not worth the aggravation, people will start looking at alternatives they may not have considered.

And Frank, how much do most of the items on your list matter to the leisure traveler who is just looking for the lowest cost, isn’t a frequent flyer, and doesn’t have an employer’s deep pocket to pay for business class or first class? You also forgot to mention that JetBlue offers something you won’t get from any “legacy carrier” in Steerage: “lots of leg room.”

]]> By: laura http://www.consumertraveler.com/columns/7-ways-to-avoid-checked-baggage-fees/comment-page-1/#comment-14264 laura Tue, 04 Aug 2009 14:36:01 +0000 http://www.tripso.com/?p=17128#comment-14264 No airline is perfect, but Southwest easily accommodates most of my needs for domestic travel, esp. with no baggage fees, so I always try to patronize them. But, as to some of the 'tricks' listed above - there's a special place in hell for selfish passengers that take up all the overhead bin space with their crammed luggage because they are trying to pack everything and get it on the plane. On one recent flight a woman tried to wedge her bag which had to weigh 50 pounds on top of my laptop - Oh, no you don't! - I told her, and called a flight attendant. Thery gate chec ked it and I hope they charged her a fee. No airline is perfect, but Southwest easily accommodates most of my needs for domestic travel, esp. with no baggage fees, so I always try to patronize them.

But, as to some of the ‘tricks’ listed above – there’s a special place in hell for selfish passengers that take up all the overhead bin space with their crammed luggage because they are trying to pack everything and get it on the plane. On one recent flight a woman tried to wedge her bag which had to weigh 50 pounds on top of my laptop – Oh, no you don’t! – I told her, and called a flight attendant. Thery gate chec ked it and I hope they charged her a fee.

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