New Bill In The Us Targets Checked Baggage Fees

[sbk]

New bill targets airline bag-check fees

By Lucy Madison

s the height of the holiday travel season nears, one lawmaker is trying to ease the burden on travelers with a new bill that would limit airlines' abilities to charge customers for checking bags.

Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., this week introduced the Airline Passenger BASICS Act (the "BASIC" stands for Basic Airline Standards to Improve Customer Satisfaction) - which would mandate that airlines allow fliers one free checked bag within certain weight limits per flight, and would guarantee passengers "certain minimum standards," according to a statement by Landieu's office. It would also require airlines to disclose any luggage fees they may have to pay in advance.

"When an airline advertises a flight, that is how much it should cost, plain and simple," Landreiu said in the statement.

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-57330462-503544/new-bill-targets-airline-bag-check-fees/

[sbk]

This is interesting:

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the baggage check fees were costing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) $260 million a year. "When you have to pay to check a bag it increases carry-on luggage, and that means there is more to inspect at the gate," she said.

[pomchop]

This is interesting:

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the baggage check fees were costing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) $260 million a year. "When you have to pay to check a bag it increases carry-on luggage, and that means there is more to inspect at the gate," she said.

Makes perfect sense. People are carrying more and more onboard to avoid the baggage fees. So more stuff for inspectors to look through and LESS space in the passenger cabins for people. Many airline gate agents will NOT enforce the carry on rules as they don't want to take the complaints so it can get totally out of hand. So the pax who pay to have their bags checked often end up with bags piled under seats and full overhead bins from people who didn't want to pay and bring everything they can get by with onboard. It is tight enough on most flights without also having MORE carry on bags than ever. Either enforce the dam_n carry on rules or give one checked bag for free. My guess is the airlines will start charging for carry ons BUT they still have to get the gate agents to enforce it. One woman's "purse" can sure look like a suitcase to others.

[sbk]

yes and it slows everything down as people try to find places for their bags, plus the fact that usually when the plane is full of carryons already, they just check bags for free at the gate (like every single instance I have flown domestically that is).

Its a stupid charge, just up the price by $30 and allow people to check a bag, seems obvious enough to me.

[bangkokburning]

I don't help anyone lift their bags into the overhead anymore. If while packing is does not dawn on a person that the bag they have is not only over the carry on limit but so heavy that they cannot even lift it, maybe the exercise of doing just that will wake them up.

Drives me insane what people bring on planes these days.

The answer is to weigh the bags and the person.

It's laughable that the US govt does not force a one bag xxkg limit on the airlines as well as a yy size on carryon. How much hassle and money would this save the TSA and all travelers? Corporate whoredom = Congress.

I never fly domestic if it can be avoided. I will drive for hours. It is a total disaster. I don't know which I find worse the TSA or the baby travelers.