Latest news with #baggagefees
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
I'm taking a stand against jacked-up airline fees by taking the middle seat
I'm trying to lose a few pounds before I go on vacation next month. Not to look better in a swimsuit, because I know that's a lost cause. I just want to be a little more comfortable as I'm flying to and from my destination in the middle seats of airplanes. I know of no one, myself included, who would rather sit in the middle seat. When people discuss seating preferences, it's always a binary choice of window or aisle. So why did I choose middle seats for all four legs of my upcoming travel itinerary? I've had it with the extra fees airlines are charging. I'm old enough to remember when you plunked down your money for a ticket, you got one or two checked bags, a carry-on bag, a snack or maybe even a meal on a long flight, and as many nonalcoholic drinks as the flight attendants would serve − all for one price. Airlines find new ways to fleece customers. Even Southwest charges baggage fees now. Times have changed. Ordering a plane ticket now is like buying a car − after you've made your purchasing decision and are ready to get on with the rest of your life, you're bombarded with decisions about add-on fees. Even Southwest Airlines, which for years trumpeted the fact it didn't charge baggage fees, recently added surcharges for checked luggage. Instead of getting a spiel about the benefits of rust-resistant undercoating for your new car, choices must be made about how many bags you want to check, whether you want "priority seating" and whether to add some optional trip insurance. When will we have flying cars? Trump should pump the brakes on testing air taxis. | Opinion Some people really like to overpack for trips, so I sort of understand the baggage charges. But the rest of it? Come on. Why should I pay more for priority seating so I can get to my seat a few minutes sooner and watch as later-arriving passengers try to stuff their carry-ons into overhead bins? And shouldn't everybody get refunds if flights are canceled, regardless of whether they've made an impulse buy for travel insurance? How can we avoid seat selection fees? Airline ticket costs are out of control. Call me a cheapskate, but I've never paid for first-class or even business-class seating. I get that paying for upgraded tickets means more comfortable seats and better service. But, to me, it's the same plane that will arrive at the same place at the same time. Can life really be that much better on the other side of that flimsy curtain? Yet, as I learned while booking my upcoming trip, the attempts to divide people by class have extended to the steerage section. Paying an extra $18 for the privilege of a window or aisle seat may not seem like a lot, but for frequent travelers, the costs add up. Opinion: Tourism is the next casualty in Trump's trade war. Our economy might not recover. It's always been hard for me to accept drastic fluctuations in ticket prices. That's because what the airlines charge doesn't seem to have any connection to the costs they incur to provide services. To use an example from last year's election season, if egg prices go up because bird flu kills a bunch of chickens and eggs are harder to find, then there's a reasonable link between supply and demand. That's understandable. What's not understandable is why an airline ticket purchased well in advance costs less, while one purchased closer to departure time, for the same flight, costs considerably more. Is it because the people buying tickets on short notice are more desperate and therefore willing to pay more? Opinion alerts: Get columns from your favorite columnists + expert analysis on top issues, delivered straight to your device through the USA TODAY app. Don't have the app? Download it for free from your app store. On a per-unit basis, it would be ridiculous to suggest a window or aisle seat costs more to install or service. The seats are right next to each other. Where does this end? With rental fees for using an airplane's blankets or pillows? Surcharges on the amount of oxygen passengers consume during flight? It's hard for low-cost carriers to break into airline business Some will say free markets will correct any inequities, as we learned in Economics 101. I'm not confident of that. The airline industry is already heavily regulated, which makes it tougher for upstart competitors to break into the business and keep the large legacy carriers honest by offering more flights without extra charges. Congress has tried tinkering with airline fees in the past, without finding a way to end this sort of price gouging. One recent attempt was the FAIR Fees Act of 2023, introduced by Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tennessee. The legislation would have prevented airlines from charging fees that weren't "reasonable and proportional." Decisions about what was "reasonable and proportional" would be left to the U.S. secretary of transportation. Sadly, the bill never made it out of the House of Representatives' aviation subcommittee. America's most annoying travel habits: Which state has the worst offenders? Cohen could refile the bill again. As a member of the Tennessee General Assembly, he filed legislation to legalize a state lottery for 20 years before it was finally approved. Similar reserves of persistence might be needed here. In light of Congress' current makeup, a Republican co-sponsor or two might be useful as well. We can't agree on much in this country now. Given the color's association with the Democratic Party, there might even be disagreement about whether the sky is actually blue. Surely, though, this issue of airlines nickel-and-diming us transcends political loyalties. It shouldn't be that hard to get politicians to reach across the aisle, so to speak, for solutions. Until that day comes, I'm taking a stand ... by taking the middle seat. Blake Fontenay is USA TODAY's commentary editor. You can read diverse opinions from our USA TODAY columnists and other writers on the Opinion front page, on X, formerly Twitter, @usatodayopinion and in our Opinion newsletter. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: I hate the middle seat. But airlines give us no choice | Opinion
Daily Mail
22-07-2025
- Business
- Daily Mail
Backlash against Ryanair 'bag police' as boss considers raising bonus for staff catching oversized luggage: 'Turning decent people into hyenas'
Furious social media users have hit back at Ryanair boss Michael O'Leary after learning the airline pays staff bonuses to catch out passengers with oversized bags. The Irish budget carrier currently pays gate staff around €1.50 (£1.30) to intercept passengers who attempt to bring on board carry-on luggage that does not meet their famously tight size requirements of 40x20x25cm. Passengers are charged a fee of up to €75 (£65) for bringing luggage that is larger than they paid for while booking their journey - even if it's a mere centimeter over the required size. A former employee claimed they pocketed the sum for every oversized bag they reported, according to the Sunday Times, although they said the monthly bonus was capped at €80 (£70). Since then, Mr O'Leary announced he is considering increasing the incentive to 'eliminate the scourge of passengers with excess baggage. ' However, hundreds of Ryanair passengers have been left seething at the news, with many taking to Instagram and X to vent their frustration. One person wrote: 'O'Leary's latest idea: turn cabin crew into bag police for a €1.50 bounty. 'Ryanair profits soar, but instead of easing baggage rules, they double down on penalties. At what point does enforcement cross into petty revenue hunting?' Another fumed: 'Considering the profit Ryanair and Michael O Leary makes €1.50 to an employee for finding an oversized is pathetic. Why would an employee draw hassle upon him or her self for €1.50 per bag.' A third customer said: 'That - kind of - explains the behaviour of some of Ryanair's ground staff... especially at Edinburgh Airport. 'I've never been affected myself, but now I'm truly amazed, that a mere £1.50 bonus/bag can turn decent people into hyenas.' Another passenger vowed: 'He is such a never use his airline ever.' On the contrary, dozens of passengers are seeing the funny side to the incentive, with many suggesting they'll solicit bribes in order to pass through with their luggage. One person joked, 'Arriving at the gate with €5 should do it,' while another added, 'I'm gonna start bringing €2 every time I fly Ryanair.' Another quipped: 'Well guess what, they are going to do this until we just don't bring any bag. 'Then when we don't bring any bag they will size us up, and if we don't fit in the seats then we will pay a fee and when we stop flying with them they will impose a fee for us as well for changing carrier.' Hundreds of Ryanair passengers have been left seething at the news on social media - but some have seen the funny side It comes as British holidaymakers were left in shock after a Ryanair flight from Bristol to a popular Spanish island landed without a single suitcase on board - leaving every passenger without their belongings. Flight FR4757, which departed from Bristol Airport on Friday, 18 July, arrived in Gran Canaria with no checked baggage for anyone. Travellers were only informed of the missing luggage after landing, with the flight's captain blaming 'time constraints' and a security issue at the UK airport.
The Sun
21-07-2025
- Business
- The Sun
Ryanair boss considering increasing bonus paid to staff for flagging oversized bags
RYANAIR boss Michael O'Leary said the airline is considering increasing a bonus paid to staff for intercepting excess baggage. Employees currently earn around £1.30 per item for flagging oversized bags, which is capped at £70 per month. 1 However, O'Leary said it could rise to motivate staff and curb the 'scourge' of excess baggage. He told RTE's Morning Ireland: 'We're flying largely full flights, about half the passengers can bring two bags and the other half can only bring one — because that's all that fits in the plane. 'We're already struggling with that amount of baggage.' The firm currently includes a small carry-on bag — capped at a size of 40x20x25cm and weight of 10kg – with every ticket. Passengers are charged a fee of up to £65 for bringing luggage that is larger than they paid for while booking their journey. Mr O'Leary said: 'We are happy to incentivise our (staff) with a share of those excess baggage fees, which we think will decline over the coming year or two.' European lawmakers want easier baggage rules, but Mr O'Leary dismissed the idea, saying that cabin space is already limited. Ryanair recently reported a quarterly net profit of £710million. more than doubling last year's figures, as fares surged 21 per cent. However, passenger growth remains hampered by delays in aircraft deliveries. Airport baggage handler issues warning about item 'never to pack' that will see you 'called from plane' and searched BP'S NEW BOSS BP has officially appointed a successor to outgoing chairman Helge Lund. Albert Manifold, former CEO of building materials firm CRH, will take the reins on October 1. Dame Andrea Blanc, who led the successor search, said he was the 'ideal candidate to oversee BP's next chapter.' Shares rose by 1 per cent after the news yesterday. Outgoing boss Mr Lund left after backlash over a failed green energy pivot. INFLATION HITS SAVERS MILLIONS of Brits are losing money as £660billion in savings sits in accounts that do not keep up with inflation. Over 67million accounts pay 3.5 per cent or less, while inflation rose to 3.6 per cent in June, says savings app Spring. Derek Sprawling, from the firm, said: 'As inflation continues to climb, the real value of people's savings is being steadily eroded. It's time to review where money is held.' Accounts including Cahoot's Sunny Day Saver and Chase's Saver currently offer rates of up to five per cent.
Skift
21-07-2025
- Business
- Skift
Southwest Sets Date for Assigned Seating, Launches New Boarding Process
The moves come as Southwest has been making massive changes to its business model that include baggage fees and premium seats. Southwest Airlines announced Monday assigned seating will go into effect on January 27, 2026. With the new changes, Southwest also plans to use a new boarding process, bringing an end to its decades-long open boarding process, which had widely differentiated the airline from its competitors. Southwest said the new boarding pro
Yahoo
29-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Southwest Airlines Customers Creatively Avoid Bag Fees
Last month, Southwest Airlines officially began charging for checked baggage, ending its long-time trademarked "bags fly free" policy. The big change has led some passengers to make some major moves to avoid having to pay those new bag fees. The new Southwest Airlines bag fees will cost travelers $35 for their first checked bag and $45 for a second, which is in line with most other domestic airlines, but quite a significant change from the airline previously offering two free checked bags for each customer. While some customers have resigned to the fact that they must now pay for their baggage, others have taken more drastic measures to avoid those charges. Though Southwest Airlines has started charging for checked baggage, Southwest does still allow passengers to bring one carry-on item free of charge, like most other domestic airlines. Passengers are now doing everything they can to take full advantage of that policy. A recent Reddit post on the Southwest Airlines subreddit offered a look at what some customers are doing to ensure they can fit all of their belongings inside a carry-on bag to avoid having to pay for a checked bag. The original poster shared some photos of vacuum-sealed bags that they used to make their clothes as small as possible and fit as much in a carry-on bag as they could. While some questioned how the passenger would re-pack the bag for a return trip, the original poster replied that they packed their travel pump for the vacuum-sealed bags, with someone else adding that those pumps are actually very compact these days. "USB powered pump. It's really compact, smaller than your average smart phone. I used this for a trip to the London, Scotland, and Ireland last year," a Reddit user commented. Other commenters suggested using packing cubes to make things as compact as possible without using vacuum sealing. Some packing cubes, Reddit users pointed out, even have additional zippers to make them even more compact once they are packed. So if you're among those lamenting Southwest's change in policy, you might consider packing your carry-on bag a bit more efficiently. Southwest Airlines Customers Creatively Avoid Bag Fees first appeared on Men's Journal on Jun 28, 2025
