US-based airlines now charging a fee for ALL checked luggage

The shape of things to come:

http://tinyurl.com/6ptb4o

By mid-December, all but a couple of carriers will charge between $15 and $20 per bag. Increases in charges for snacks and beverages are also part of the %26quot;new way%26quot;.

I know some airlines have already been doing this but now it appears all of them are jumping on the bandwagon.

|||

Many of these are just for domestic flights. Continental still allows 2 free checked bags for international flights for example. We flew Continental to get to Ireland and took two 50lb suitcases each checked bags (we%26#39;re here for a year) plus one good sized carryon and one personal item each. Air Canada tried to follow suit this past summer charging for $25 for 2nd checked bag within North America but ended up scrapping it and allows 2 free checked bags again.

|||

I just clicked on your link. There are different price structures for domestic and international.

It seems that AA is the only USA airline charging for the first bag in international.

Thanks for the info.

|||

We got an email from Expedia telling us we should expect baggage fees for our return to France (we%26#39;re in Seattle at the moment). We%26#39;re traveling on AA but we didn%26#39;t hear it from them.

|||

As noted, there are different baggage rules between domestic and international flight itineraries.....and to the best of my knowledge, if your flight reservation was booked, prior to the adoption of these new baggage restrictions, then your baggage is treated under the old allowances. But as always, call your airline DIRECTLY.

Airlines are considering and trying out all sorts of new fees and charges---meals, baggage, seat assignments, etc......before ya%26#39; know it, there will be coin-operated lavatories, charges for blankets and pillows, padded or un-padded seat...if there%26#39;s any way that they can possible charge extra for something or other; you can bet that some overly clever %26#39;bean counter%26#39; has already considered it.

Where%26#39;s Alan King when we really need him??

|||

-:- Message from TripAdvisor staff -:-

This topic was inactive for 6 months and has been closed to new posts. We hope you'll join the conversation by posting to an open topic or starting a new one.

To review the TripAdvisor Forums Posting Guidelines, please follow this link: http://www.tripadvisor.com/pages/forums_posting_guidelines.html

We remove posts that do not follow our posting guidelines, and we reserve the right to remove any post for any reason.

Removed on: 6:25 pm, October 11, 2009