Do airlines actually charge for carry-on bags? I primarily fly Delta so I've never run across this, maybe an issue for discount airlines?
this post was submitted on 02 Oct 2023
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Yup, it's the budget airlines that charge for everything. Realistically you're already paying for your carry on with Delta because of the higher prices.
Beyond that, this is the entire point of budget airlines: providing a cheaper alternative for people who either don't need those extra services or for people who otherwise would not be able to afford to go at all.
If they're forced to offer all the same services as the major airlines, they'll just go out of business. I'm sure the large players would love this to pass as a easy way to kill off some competition.
The really cheap budget lines do.
They pull you in with a $30 (or even sometimes $10-20) ticket. But you then have to pay for E V E R Y T H I N G else.
Carry on bag? $50+. (And anything bigger than a purse counts, that backpack is gonna cost ya) Checked luggage? $65. Select a seat? $25+ (per leg). Their seats are small so if you don't pay you'll probably end up in the middle, oh and they're not keeping your party together. Not using mobile ticketing? $50. Free sodas and snacks? Lmao you wish.
I've never been able to price out one of these airlines and find it worth it compared to something like Southwest or even the more traditional airlines. I'm 6'4" so I definitely don't want a middle seat in their cramped planes. By the time I add everything it's the same price or more.
Maybe if I ever needed to get just myself and no luggage somewhere on a budget?
Legislation is needed for some of these things.
Things like being asked to pay £50 to print a ticket, or deliberately splitting people up when they don't pay for designated seating is plain fucking obnoxious.
Fix the baggage charges at whatever the airports charge for it.
Spirit does. You get a “personal” item and that is all. My son and I flew to Vegas from Albuquerque for NYE at something like $70 a ticket, but a carry-on would have more than doubled the price. Since we were literally going to a concert and leaving we decided to sleep at the airport after the show, so we had the clothes on our backs and our phones.
It’s definitely on budget airlines. Been using frontier and spirit for short domestic flights and they charge for everything.
Never really had issues with bigger carriers where they include checked bag, carry on and personal item in the ticket price.
That makes sense, being in Utah Delta is really our only option for decent direct flights.
This is the best summary I could come up with:
The European Parliament’s Committee on Petitions has unanimously adopted a resolution that calls on airlines to guarantee that passengers can carry cabin baggage free of charge.
In 2014, the European Court of Justice ruled that cabin baggage which complies with “reasonable” requirements for size and weight was an essential part of air travel.
This is especially problematic for passengers with connecting flights on different airlines that have different standards, increasing the chance they have to pay extra fees at the boarding gate.
The EU is also urging airlines to be more upfront with passengers when providing information about additional costs, like charges for seat allocation, and flight timing.
Earlier this year, Spain’s Ministry of Consumer Affairs launched an investigation into multiple low-cost airlines over hand luggage fees.
“Low-cost airlines do business with the price of tickets by hiding the extra for carrying cabin baggage until the end of the purchase,” said Spanish MEP Jordi Cañas.
The original article contains 431 words, the summary contains 155 words. Saved 64%. I'm a bot and I'm open source!
The timing on this is funny. I was just talking about this with me SO. I am on vacation around BENELUX and this is the first time I've ever seen the carry on bags were paid. You can take a small bag though but I remember that, at least before covid, you could bring a carry on + a small bag under the seat in front of you for free.
I was asked 50€ for the carry on this time... So for a couple that's 200€ just in carry on fees lol. I packed all my clothing on my backpack and I think I'll eventually need to pay a laundromat or something to wash my clothes but it won't be 50€.
Fuck these hidden fees.
Overhead baggage is a scarce resource. If you don't pay for a carry-on, you pay for a carry-on by paying for early boarding.
There's legitimately not enough space for everyone to bring a carry-on, especially on smaller planes; until that changes, carry-on fees are as good a way to allocate that space as any.
I always place my carry-on under the seat in front, so it would feel absurd to pay for the limited overhead space.
Meant here is the carry-on, not the "personal item" like a small backpack.
Shouldn't be impossible for airlines to allow each passenger one bag that can fit under the seat in front free of charge, then seek payment for further items.
Though they'll argue that this would make things more fraught at the gate & in the cabin.
Actually my bag doesn't fully fit under the seat, just mostly and I live with the reduced foot space. So I might fail a size box for under the seat.
Don't know about that - on any flight I've ever been on, once everyone is on board, the cabin crew do a specific check for bags that stick out too much, and move any that do, as it is a safety issue.
So if they've been happy with your bag, it would probably be fine in a size box.
That is quite possible, but I would assume the visual check to be more lenient than a specified box, especially since they can take into consideration that I wedged it in tightly.
Isn't it funny how this "good way" just so happens to be really profitable? If it's really about better allocation, why not donate the carry-on fees? You'll achieve the same effect.
That is true, but most airlines will gate check for free any bags when there isn’t any room left in the cabin.
I always ask at check-in if they will check my carry on for free. My flights are 99% overseas (8+hours) and I’ll have to wait for my checked bag anyway. It’s basically 50/50 if they will do it for free. I really don’t understand why I don’t want to check it and rather it fills up the cabin.
Even on short domestic flights I don’t mind waiting for a checked bag and all I need on the actual flight is my phone, a book and headphones, which I can carry without my carry on.
I would never fly without at least a smallcarry-on in the cabin. I always put supplies (hygienic and clothes) for 2 days in my carry-on, so that I have them on me in case the Airline fucks up my checked baggage
Yeah same. As a rule, I try to never put anything in my checked luggage that is irreplaceable (if it gets lost completely), or that I would need immediately if it arrives late (medication, etc).
I have also had cases where the TSA has gone through my bags and shattered the fragile items in there because they couldn't be bothered to repack it gently. So yeah, no precious or time-sensitive items in my checked bags unless absolutely necessary.
I understand that though but that’s one of reasons I have a good travel insurance. Basically no-questions-asked allowance when luggage is delayed. So I’ll be fine. I don’t really need any medicine or have any essential items anyway, that can’t be replaced.
It's not about the money, I am insured there as well.. It's about the peace of mind that you can wear a clean pair of clothes and have your teeth brushed when shopping for new clothes the next day
Budget airlines should start charging for backpacks.
I mean, do they even enforce this? I flew spirit once, had a backpack and a messenger bag, and just boarded and flew. I mean, how could they possibly enforce this?
I am in the UK and regularly use Wizzair. If you fly with just the backpack and messenger bag, there won't be any baggage cost. But you won't get priority boarding without paying.
And when you sort out your online boarding pass, if you hadn't paid for priority boarding, now you have to pay to choose your seat. It actually costs more if you ask wizzair to select a seat for you.
If you need to change your booking, that'll cost £100 if you hadn't paid extra at the time of booking. And if your backpack is a bit too large, that could be very expensive for you when you arrive at the airport.