Latest news with #checkedbaggage
Daily Mail
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
How Southwest's new baggage fee could backfire
The end of Southwest's much-loved free checked bags policy could have two unintended consequences. The budget airline, which announced it would be charging customers for their checked luggage earlier this year, could now face delayed departures due to longer check-in and gate lines. Gate-checking lines will also grow as Southwest planes have limited overhead locker room for carry-on bags, and will be unlikely to meet new demands. Southwest has the lowest cancellation rate among its US rivals so far this year and its on time rate is over 80 percent, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. If the airline is unable to mitigate the knock-on effects of its new policy then fliers could see a significant reduction in timely departures just as the summer travel season kicks off. Checking passengers' bags as they board the plane is a time-consuming activity and may cause flight delays as the airline and its passengers get used to the new system. On the airline's smallest planes, there tend to be five or six carry-ons that need to be checked, Justin Jones, executive vice president of operations at Southwest, told the Wall Street Journal. But as bag fees go into effect, he predicts this could surge to 25. The airline has begun deploying new technology to speed up check-in and gate waiting times. This includes an AI 'Lobby Awareness Tool' that predicts airport wait times based on flight schedules and passenger-arrival patterns. This will help the airline know when to deploy extra employees to help deal with a bottleneck and minimize delays. Another tool is the Baggage Estimation Based on Passengers, or Bebop, which will help to predict how many carry-ons will have to be checked at the gate. 'It was a curve ball that we were thrown,' Jones previously told the Airlines Confidential podcast. 'We always carry more bags than anyone else out there,' Jones said. Indeed, customers have famously taken advantage of Southwest's generous policy to transport kitchen sinks and toilets across the country. 'We're going to need to do several things,' but 'we want to make sure the customer experience is still very high,' Jones told the podcast. 'So we're going to be extremely hesitant to go out and do heavy policing on bag size like some other carriers do.' However, the policy change 'will result in more gate checked bags and fees.' 'We're dependent on everything kind of flowing,' Jones said of Southwest's business model which relies on keeping aircraft in the skies rather than wasting time on the ground. Long-term Jones said the answer will be in the introduction of new planes to Southwest's fleet with more cabin bag capacity. Customers have criticized he new rules. 'The only reason people put up with no assigned seating was because they could check free bags. This is no better than a bus, now,' one wrote on Reddit. The fees are part of Southwest's efforts to boost its bottom line.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Revealed: The best and worst US airlines for carry-on baggage allowance
Airline Southwest recently ditched the cherished perk of free checked luggage, causing uproar among its customers. The policy was seen as a key differentiator between the Dallas-based airline and its competitors and means that now, all the major US airlines charge for checked luggage on domestic routes. So, does anything separate them when it comes to luggage policies? We raked over the often convoluted baggage rules and fees for the nine biggest American carriers and discovered that some are definitely more generous than others when it comes to leeway with luggage. We name the two airlines to avoid if you don't want to pay for carry-on bags, the ones with especially confusing explanations around their rules and declare which carrier is No.1 overall for carry-on generosity. American Airlines In the cabin: One personal item and one carry-on for free. Your personal item, like a purse or small handbag, must fit under the seat in front of you, says American Airlines. Dimensions should not exceed 18 x 14 x 8 inches, or 45 x 35 x 20cm. The total size of your carry-on, including the handles and wheels, cannot exceed 22 x 14 x 9 inches, or 56 x 36 x 23cm. Grand overhead bin total: 45 inches, or 114cm. In the hold: For travel within/between the U.S, Puerto Rico, and U.S Virgin Islands, the first checked bag fee in economy is $40 ($35 if you pay online) and the second checked bag fee is $45. For travel to/from Canada, the Caribbean, Mexico, Central America, and Guyana, the first checked bag fee is $35 and the second checked bag fee is $45. First checked bag is free for eligible AAdvantage credit cardholders and those with enough status; various international destinations, not including the UK. Delta Air Lines In the cabin: One personal item and one carry-on for free. Your personal item must fit under the seat in front of you. Carry-on bags for the overhead locker may not exceed 22 x 14 x 9 inches, or 56 x 35 x 23cm. Grand overhead bin total: 45 inches, or 114cm. In the hold: For travel on domestic flights within the U.S, first checked bag in economy is $35, second is $45. First checked bag is free for passengers on various international flights, including to Northern Europe; Delta SkyMiles Medallion Members and select Delta SkyMiles American Express Card Members. United Airlines In the cabin: One carry-on bag and one personal item for free "on most flights". Personal items must fit under the seat in front of you, so they must be 9 x 10 x 17 inches, or 22 x 25 x 43cm. Carry-on items for overhead bins must be no bigger than 22 x 14 x 9 inches, or 56 x 35 x 23cm. Grand overhead bin total: 45 inches, or 114cm. In the hold: United has a "checked bag fee calculator", which reveals that the first checked bag in economy on a domestic flight costs $40 ($35 prepaid) and must not exceed 62 linear inches, or 157cm. The first checked economy bag is free on many international flights, including to London, but a fee of $60 is charged on some routes. Southwest Airlines In the cabin: One bag and one personal item. The bag should be stowed in the overhead compartment, and the small personal item stowed under your seat. Carry-on items for overhead bins must be no bigger than 24 x 16 x 10 inches, or 60 x 40 x 25cm. Grand overhead bin total: 50 inches, or 127cm. In the hold: First checked bag in economy is $35, a second checked bag costs $45. Checked bags must not exceed a linear length of 62 inches, or 157cm. Alaska Airlines In the cabin: You're allowed one carry-on bag plus one personal item with Alaska. The carry-on bag size limit for flights on all aircraft types is 22 x 14 x 9 inches, or 56 x 35 x 23cm. Grand overhead bin total: 45 inches, or 114cm. In the hold: First checked bag in economy is $35, a second checked bag costs $45. Checked bags must not exceed a linear length of 62 inches, or 157cm. Frontier Airlines In the cabin: One personal item is included with your fare. Carry-on luggage incurs a fee of between $59 and a hefty $99 depending on your departure date and destination. Passengers must use a fee checker on the airline's website to find out what they'll be charged. Maximum size: 10 x 16 x 24 inches, or 25 x 40 x 60cm, including handles, wheels and straps. Grand overhead bin total: 50 inches, or 127cm. In the hold: Checked bags incur a fee depending on the departure date and destination (typically between $55 and $100) and must not exceed 62 linear inches, or 157cm. Hawaiian Airlines In the cabin: You're allowed one carry-on bag plus one personal item. The carry-on bag size limit for flights on all aircraft types is 22 x 14 x 9 inches, or 56 x 36 x 23cm. And bags must not exceed 25 Ibs (11kg). Grand overhead bin total: 45 inches, or 114cm. In the hold: First checked bag is $30 if flying to a neighbor island, second bag is $40. If flying to North America, first checked bag is $40 and second is $45. Checked bags are free on international flights, except to Australia and New Zealand. Hold bags must not exceed a linear size of 62 inches (157cm). JetBlue In the cabin: Each economy customer is allowed one carry-on bag and one personal item for free. Carry-on bags must not exceed 22 x 14 x 9 inches, or 55 x 35 x 22cm. Grand overhead bin total: 45 inches, or 114cm. There is no weight limit. In the hold: JetBlue's checked baggage rules are quite complicated, with passengers charged different fees depending on their fare type and when they book the baggage. Within the U.S, the first checked bag is $35, the second $40. For transatlantic flights the fee is $60 for "Blue Basic" but included for seats in tiers above this. Hold bags must not exceed a linear size of 62 inches (157cm). Spirit Airlines In the cabin: All passengers can bring one personal item, and carry-ons are free for three fare types, but those on the basic "Go travel" option will have to pay a fee of between $37 and $65 depending on whether they pay online, when checking in, or at the gate. Carry-on bags must not exceed 22 x18 x10 inches, or 56 x 46 x 25cm. Grand overhead bin total: 50 inches, or 127cm. Checked bags must not exceed 80 inches or 203cm in linear size. Verdict Southwest Airlines offers the best overall carry-on allowance, allowing passengers to take 50 inches of overhead bin luggage onboard for free. Frontier and Spirit are also generous with the carry-on size allowance, matching Southwest's 50 inches for overhead locker luggage, but they both charge basic fare passengers a fee. It's more difficult to separate the airlines when it comes to checked luggage, though many will find the fee-checking tools being used on some websites, such as Frontier and United's, annoying. Southwest garners extra points here for laying out its fees clearly in a table, while JetBlue, Hawaiian Airlines' and Spirit lose marks for less-than-clear baggage explanations.
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mail
Axing of Southwest's 'bags fly free' will backfire in two major ways: 'No better than a bus'
The end of Southwest's much-loved free checked bags policy could have two unintended consequences. The budget airline, which announced it would be charging customers for their checked luggage earlier this year, could now face delayed departures due to longer check-in and gate lines. Customers must now pay $35 for one bag and $45 for the second, after the new policy went in to effect on May 28. Southwest estimates a 30 percent drop in checked baggage volume and a surge in carry-on as hard-pressed consumers try to evade the fees. But experts point out two problems. Check-in lines will grow as fliers take time to pay for bags at the airport. Gate-checking lines will also grow as Southwest planes have limited overhead locker room for carry-on bags, and will be unlikely to meet new demands. Southwest has the lowest cancellation rate among its US rivals so far this year and its on time rate is over 80 percent, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium. If the airline is unable to mitigate the knock-on effects of its new policy then fliers could see a significant reduction in timely departures just as the summer travel season kicks off. Checking passengers' bags as they board the plane is a time-consuming activity and may cause flight delays as the airline and its passengers get used to the new system. On the airline's smallest planes, there tend to be five or six carry-ons that need to be checked, Justin Jones, executive vice president of operations at Southwest, told the Wall Street Journal But as bag fees go into effect, he predicts this could surge to 25. The airline has begun deploying new technology to speed up check-in and gate waiting times. This includes an AI 'Lobby Awareness Tool' that predicts airport wait times based on flight schedules and passenger-arrival patterns. This will help the airline know when to deploy extra employees to help deal with a bottle-neck and minimize delays. Another tool is the Baggage Estimation Based on Passengers, or Bebop, which will help to predict how many carry-ons will have to be checked at the gate. 'It was a curve ball that we were thrown,' Jones previously told the Airlines Confidential podcast. 'We always carry more bags than anyone else out there,' Jones said. The airline has introduced fees for checked luggage after 50 years Southwest bosses predict they will now need to take five times more bags at the gate and put them in the hold Indeed, customers have famously taken advantage of Southwest's generous policy to transport kitchen sinks and toilets across the country. 'We're going to need to do several things,' but 'we want to make sure the customer experience is still very high,' Jones told the podcast. 'So we're going to be extremely hesitant to go out and do heavy policing on bag size like some other carriers do.' However, the policy change 'will result in more gate checked bags and fees.' 'We're dependent on everything kind of flowing,' Jones said of Southwest's business model which relies on keeping aircraft in the skies rather than wasting time on the ground. Long-term Jones said the answer will be in the introduction of new planes to Southwest's fleet with more cabin bag capacity. Customers have criticized he new rules. 'The only reason people put up with no assigned seating was because they could check free bags. This is no better than a bus, now,' one wrote on Reddit. The fees are part of Southwest's efforts to boost its bottom line. In February the airline announced plans to cut 15 percent of its corporate workforce in a bid to cut costs. The layoffs - a first in the airline's 53-year history - will slash around about 1,750 jobs.
CBS News
5 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
As their policies shift, see how much U.S. airlines are making in checked bag fees
What to know about Southwest Airlines new fare options Checked bags are a big business for U.S. airlines, bringing in more than $7 billion in revenue last year, according to data from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The fees have brought more revenue to the airlines than it ever had prior to the pandemic, the data shows. Airlines began shifting their checked bag policy in recent years to keep up with what they say are rising operational costs, including higher prices for fuel and increased wages. Most recently, Southwest Airlines announced it will start charging $35 for the first checked bag — after more than 50 years of only charging for a third bag. Changes at Southwest came amid mounting pressure from activist investors to improve its financial performance. The airline in September predicted that new fees would lead to $1.5 billion a year in revenue. Last year, JetBlue brought Uber-style surge pricing to bag-check fees, making it more costly to check luggage during peak travel periods. American Airlines also increased its fees in 2024 from $30 to $35 for the first checked bag. Breaking down the revenue from checked bags for U.S. airlines Checked bags brought in about $7.27 billion in revenue last year for Alaska Airlines, Allegiant Air, American, Breeze Airways, Delta Air Lines, Frontier Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue, Silver Airways, Southwest, Spirit Airlines, Sun Country and United Airlines, according to the government's data that was last updated on May 6. That is up from $7.07 billion in 2023, Bureau of Transportation Statistics' data shows. In 2022, U.S. airlines made over $6.7 billion in bag fees, another major jump from the $5.3 billion made in 2021. American, Delta and United — the three largest U.S. airlines — made over $1 billion each last year on checked bags — and their revenue from it has been climbing since the COVID-19 pandemic halted air travel in 2020. When the pandemic hit, total checked bag revenue plummeted to $2.84 billion in 2020, down from $5.76 billion in 2019. Kiki Intarasuwan Kiki Intarasuwan is a news editor for CBS News & Stations. contributed to this report.
CNN
6 days ago
- Business
- CNN
Southwest Airlines reveals how much it will cost to check a bag
Southwest Airlines has put a price tag on checking bags, a coveted free perk that is about to disappear as part of substantial changes the carrier is making to its service. For flights booked on May 28 and after, checking the first bag will cost $35 and $45 for the second piece of luggage. If the ticket was bought prior to Wednesday, the customer will still receive two free checked bags, the company announced. There are some exceptions, however: Members in the A-List tier of its Rapid Rewards loyalty program, holders of its branded credit card or those traveling on a business fare will be exempt from the charges. Southwest's fee are aligned with other carriers' prices. Delta Air Lines, American Airlines and United Airlines all charge between $35 to $40 for the first checked bag. Others, like JetBlue Airways and Frontier Airlines, charge different fees depending on various factors including if it's purchased online or departure date. Southwest has always offered free checked bags since the airline started about 60 years ago and kept the policy in place when its competitors starting adding and increasing fees. In fact, the carrier has trademarked its 'bags fly free' slogan, which has been a key part of its advertising. Adding these fees will likely instantly boost its bottom line because Southwest has two to three times as many checked bags as other airlines. Despite not charging for the first two checked bags, Southwest collected $83 million in baggage fees in 2024, according to Department of Transportation statistics. (Southwest charges $150 for a third checked bag and up to $200 for overweight luggage among other fees). However, that is a fraction of the baggage fees collected by other airlines, with American collecting $1.5 billion in 2024, while United pulled in $1.3 billion and Delta garnering $1 billion. Southwest has been under pressure to boost profitability since activist investor Elliott Investment Management took a $1.9 billion stake in the carrier last year. It has already announced that it's ditching its open-seat policy in 2026 and retrofitting its planes with seats that have extra legroom for an additional charge. Southwest said customers were clamoring for those changes. When people switch to a competitor from Southwest, the company said the top reason passengers cite is open seating. But the change will also help the company charge some passengers more for their tickets. The airline has also changed the way it sells tickets. Traditionally it only sold them on Southwest's website, but recently started sell them on Expedia to attract more customers. Also beginning Wednesday, Southwest will start selling 'basic economy' fares, which are low-priced tickets but with tons of restrictions. It's a ticket type that's replacing its famous 'Wanna Get Away' fare and is becoming increasingly common among larger carriers to compete against low fares offered by budget airlines.
