United Airlines boosts second-bag fee to $50

[zoiks]

I know that they raised the second bag fee to $25 and that was okay in a way. But $50 is a bit too much for checking in a second bag.


Text

CHICAGO ? United Airlines on Monday doubled its fee for a second checked bag to $50, citing volatile fuel prices.

United, a unit of UAL Corp., said the $50 one-way fee would apply for tickets bought beginning Tuesday for travel beginning Nov. 10. in the U.S. or to or from Canada, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Travelers in first or business classes, "Premier" frequent fliers, and active-duty military personnel traveling on orders will be exempt. United estimated the $50 fee would apply to about one out of seven customers.

Fuel prices have declined in recent weeks as oil prices have fallen, from a high of $147 a barrel to below $96 a barrel on Monday. But United said fuel prices remain more than 50 percent higher than last year.

Shares of UAL slipped 5 cents to $11.31 shortly after the opening bell.

 

[Baked]

If you need a 2nd carry on, WTF is in your 1st carry on?

 

[Jeff7181]

So it went from $25 to $50? That's quite an increase...

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: Baked
If you need a 2nd carry on, WTF is in your 1st carry on?

Checked != carry-on

 

[Anubis]

Originally posted by: Baked
If you need a 2nd carry on, WTF is in your 1st carry on?

someone cant read

 

[zoiks]

Originally posted by: Jeff7181
So it went from $25 to $50? That's quite an increase...

They know that other carriers will also jump on the bandwagon so its probably okay for them to do so.

 

[spidey07]

So, that's 100 dollars per bag, per round trip ticket? Highway robbery. Time for me to be "that guy", the one that brings a REALLY big carry on and tries to stuff it in the overhead bin so that I don't have to check more than one bag. With the weight limits it's VERY easy to have to check more than one bag.

 

[Baked]

Whatever! It's early, I totally read carry on.

 

[apac]

I wonder if skis/snowboard count as a 2nd checked bag.

 

[Epic Fail]

Originally posted by: apac
I wonder if skis/snowboard count as a 2nd checked bag.

Yes, plus another surcharge for handling non standard bulk item.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: apac
I wonder if skis/snowboard count as a 2nd checked bag.

Most likely. They'll probably also charge more since they're larger than a typical "bag."

 

[AmpedSilence]

hmm.... If it wasnt for the fact that my family has silver level FF card and these fees don't affect us, I don't think that I would be flying United anymore nor their partner Us Airways, which tried to cut meals!

Bad move, United, bad move...

 

[SillyOReilly]

Soon you'll be physically put on a scale and charged per pound.

 

[Homerboy]

honestly, I have no problem with it. If the tickets jumped $50 would anyone bitch? You wouldn't even notice it.
They already lose billions a year.

 

[Jeff7181]

Originally posted by: SillyOReilly
Soon you'll be physically put on a scale and charged per pound.

Actually... I've been crowded on a plane before by someone so large they don't fit in their seat. I wouldn't mind a large person being required to pay for two seats if they take up two seats.

 

[Epic Fail]

Originally posted by: SillyOReilly
Soon you'll be physically put on a scale and charged per pound.

Hopefully using an exponential function.

 

[IHAVEAQUESTION]

US Airway provides no free meal. Soda $2, meal $7, hcecked bag is $15. You are allowed to carry one personal item and one bag with you.


Yes, it sucks.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: spidey07
So, that's 100 dollars per bag, per round trip ticket? Highway robbery. Time for me to be "that guy", the one that brings a REALLY big carry on and tries to stuff it in the overhead bin so that I don't have to check more than one bag. With the weight limits it's VERY easy to have to check more than one bag.

Spidey's account got hacked. :Q The real spidey would have defended the company in the name of capitalism.

 

[Utterman]

Yet crude oil is down 33% from it's high two months ago. Are these fees going away anytime soon?

 

[BigJ]

Originally posted by: Utterman
Yet crude oil is down 33% from it's high two months ago. Are these fees going away anytime soon?

I'm not specifically talking about UA right now, but a lot of places were slow to increase their prices stemming from the rise in oil futures. So while they (oil futures) have gone down, you're going to see a lag in price reductions, if they occur at all.

 

[Triumph]

Originally posted by: Utterman
Yet crude oil is down 33% from it's high two months ago. Are these fees going away anytime soon?

So wouldn't it make sense to buy their oil futures now, at the lower price, and thus the extra baggage fee is not really necessary? I mean look at this, 3 months ago they told us, "Oil prices are going up, therefore we need to charge for extra baggage." Now they're telling us, "Oil prices are 'volatile' (they went down), so we need to charge for extra baggage." What a crock of shit. So no matter what oil prices do, charge more!

After my latest flight, I'm convinced that the entire airline industry just isn't economically viable. The costs required to make it operate do not match the price people are willing to pay for the service.

 

[rh71]

http://articles.moneycentral.m...ostOutrageousFees.aspx

also:

The some-are-more-equal-than-others fee. Even one-class-for-all Southwest Airlines has entered the mix. Pay a "business select" fee of $10 or $20 and you get first boarding, an extra reward point and a free cocktail. The value? Southwest hauled in $7 million in the program's first eight weeks alone, spokesman Chris Mainz said.

 

[waggy]

i prefer them raising the cost of tickets, baggage etc then going into bankruptcy and asking for a "bailout" and taxpayers paying for it.

 

[zoiks]

Originally posted by: waggy
i prefer them raising the cost of tickets, baggage etc then going into bankruptcy and asking for a "bailout" and taxpayers paying for it.

I'd rather they just asked for a single raise in cost of tickets rather than nickel/diming us for everything.
Also if you note, there are other airlines that are profitable yet providing the same or lower prices.

 

[Homerboy]

Originally posted by: zoiks

Originally posted by: waggy
i prefer them raising the cost of tickets, baggage etc then going into bankruptcy and asking for a "bailout" and taxpayers paying for it.

I'd rather they just asked for a single raise in cost of tickets rather than nickel/diming us for everything.
Also if you note, there are other airlines that are profitable yet providing the same or lower prices.

So you'd rather them just spread the costs over EVERYONE that flies that flight, rather than just those that are actually adding to the expense?

I travel a bit for work, and very often its for just a day or even the same day. I check NO luggage in most cases. Why should I (or my company) have to foot the bill for the chick that wants to bring 4 suitcases with her (adding 100s of lbs to the flight) for her 3 day trip to LA?

Heaven forbid they airlines charge the people for what they are actually using on the flight versus just cranking up the rates for everyone!