And the next airline to charge for carry-on bags is …

by Christopher Elliott on July 15, 2010


We don’t know — yet. But a majority of airline passengers believe it will happen, and probably soon. A new mobile poll by Predicto says 72 percent of users think another airline will follow Spirit Airlines’ lead this year.

Does it matter that American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, US Airways and JetBlue Airways promised Sen. Charles Schumer a few months ago that they’d never do it?

Probably not.

Assuming those airlines honor their commitment, though, who does that leave? Among the major airlines, Continental and Southwest. And a variety of smaller ones, including the likeliest to try this stunt, Allegiant Air.

The poll comes as hearings get underway in Washington on airline fees today. It will be interesting to note what people like Ben Baldanza, Spirit’s chief executive, tell the committee about ancillary fees, especially in light of the fact that his carrier as changed the way it discloses the fees on its site recently.

Will we be paying for carry-on bags someday? Hate to say it, but Baldanza is ahead of the curve on this one. (Here’s an interview I did with him shortly after the announcement.)

It’s probably not a question of it, but when.

(Photo: Caribb/Flickr Creative Commons)

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Tagged as: airline fees, airlines

  • Frank

    Did passenger numbers decline after the implementation of this FEE at SpiritAir?
    Anyone actually fly them since, just wondering, because I bet boarding was a breeze. How’s the overhead space now?

    anyone?

  • donj

    One of the keys to what happens to all the fees is the hearing in the House, especially the statement by Cong. Petri (R) regarding them. Members of Congress and Senators are among the most frequent fliers. While they do get special treatment, they are exposed to pax at the airport and on the plane who are complaining loudly. More importantly, Cong. Petri exposed the REAL reason for the airlines breaking out all the fees: the airlines pay no taxes on them as they would if they remained integrated in the ticket price. Watch the budget hawks go after that. Pax should focus on that as well. It is money being lost for airport and air traffic control improvements.

  • Robert

    DonJ wrote – “Petri exposed the REAL reason for the airlines breaking out all the fees: the airlines pay no taxes on them as they would if they remained integrated in the ticket price. Watch the budget hawks go after that. Pax should focus on that as well. It is money being lost for airport and air traffic control improvements.”

    I’m not certain that is THE reason airlines are charging fees but the ticket tax issue certainly is a consequence Personally, I’ve complained here and in other forums that the FAA is losing revenue for operations as a result of the unbundling of air fares. Just this past Wednesday the US GAO (Government Accountability Office) released a report exactly on this topic with recommendations to Congress. Here’s the link.

    http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-785

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