United to start charging for second piece of luggage

[Luanne]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22992054/?GT1=10856

This is ridiculous! Most likely it will just promote more carry on and slow down the boarding process even more. It's very rare for us to have more than one piece of luggage, except when we are taking dd cross country to school.

[Courts]

I heard it will not apply if you are a member of their frequent flyer program. That is easy to set up even if you never flew United before.

.

[IreneLF]

The article said you need to fly 25,000 miles a yr. for the second bag to be free.

[Luanne]

Originally Posted by IreneLF

The article said you need to fly 25,000 miles a yr. for the second bag to be free.

Right, the frequent flier part isn't the problem, it's the 25,000 miles a year. From the article:

United Airlines will begin charging passengers $25 to check in a second piece of luggage for domestic travel if they are not part of its most-frequent-flier programs, the airline said Monday.

The charge will generate more than $100 million in revenue and cost savings each year, UAL Corp. said. The change takes effect May 5 and applies to tickets purchased on or after Monday.

Travelers would have to log at least 25,000 miles in a year on United to ensure they can check their second bag for free.

-----
Hmmm, in looking at this I wonder if it means that any tickets purchased prior to Monday would still be allowed two bags free?

[Icarus]

Non-members or General Members of Mileage Plus on non-refundable Economy fares will get one bag 50lbs free. If you're Premier or higher in Mileage Plus, or traveling in F or C, there's no change for you.

Here's the details:

http://www.united.com/page/article/0,6722,52481,00.html

Also, follow the link to the Q&A. Looks like they are also raising their fees for excess bags (above the 2nd bag.) Car seats, strollers, wheelchairs are exempt.

-David

[philemer]

Originally Posted by Luanne

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22992054/?GT1=10856
Most likely it will just promote more carry on and slow down the boarding process even more.

This could be the BIG problem. Some folks are already cheating and carrying on, or trying to, 3 pieces (plus a purse or bag or.......) of luggage.

However, if the airlines are going to survive they need to make a profit. With crude oil prices at all time highs they have to do something. I think it's fair for those who check a second bag to have to pay a little extra. Look at all the other user taxes we have.

I wonder how many carriers will join UA.

Phil

[Jimster]

Give it a week. If no one else joins with them, watch United back off. All it will take is a couple of ads from American saying: "No charge for 2 bags" and let's see what happens.
I flew today on United and I must say the bins were filled to overflowing. In fact they had to wait to take about 10 pieces of luggage to the cargo hold because there was no space for them.
As a premier executive I am exempt from this, so it doesn't make much difference to me. Maybe it will teach some people to pack lighter. I am always irritated to see people bring all their worldly possessions with them. Actually, all this means is now they will try to bring even more of them on board as carry on luggage.
From the revenue point of view this act (if it sticks), will bring in a tidy sum of money. If UA is concerned about the excess baggage, they could do a great deal to improve that with their existing rules if they would enforce them. Rarely (but a few times) I have heard the FA say "you'll have to check that bag" To me it should happen all the time when the bag doesn't pass clearly printed and long established rules. It's not like we have a shortage of measuring devices! It's like everything else, some people are prone to push the envelope every time they get a chance.

[camachinist]

Next thing they'll be doing is weighing carryons, like happens elsewhere in the world.

For infrequent fliers who like dragging a lot of stuff along, a definite minus for considering UA, to be sure.

Bear in mind, this is domestic flights. My wife and I have vacationed abroad for a month out of two checked bags (between us) with no issues and my wife likes her stuff, so YMMV. I fly almost everywhere domestically for 3-5 days with just my carryon (no checked bags). This (packing efficiently) is a side-effect of being a FF, as I have to schlep all the stuff around

Pat

[Jimster]

To answer the question above, all new tickets (after Feb 4) are subject to this restriction. Just follow the link above or go to the United website (united.com) and it spells out the details.

[Luanne]

Originally Posted by Jimster

To answer the question above, all new tickets (after Feb 4) are subject to this restriction. Just follow the link above or go to the United website (united.com) and it spells out the details.

I went to the website and my question was answered. It looks like after May 8 there are no exceptions, doesn't matter when the ticket was purchased.

[Icarus]

Originally Posted by Luanne

I went to the website and my question was answered. It looks like after May 8 there are no exceptions, doesn't matter when the ticket was purchased.

I'm reading it the opposite way. If your ticket was purchased prior to Feb 4, you are subject to the baggage rules that were in effect when you purchased your ticket. With the exception of the UK government they can't/won't generally change the terms of something you already purchased. Changes to things you already purchased only seem to be acceptable in the timeshare industry.

This is the wording from the UA web site:

The new policy applies to tickets purchased on or after February 4, 2008 for travel on or after May 5, 2008. Please view the Domestic baggage questions for additional details on this policy.

This doesn't mean that an odd check-in person won't get it wrong, so be prepared.

The changes for excess baggage (beyond 2 bags for most people) go into effect on May 5 for everybody. The 2nd bag isn't considered "excess baggage".

-David

[Denise L]

This is interesting and I hope that UA changes its mind.

I'm glad we try to travel to timeshares where we can do laundry!

I was reading some of the flyertalk thread on this UA hot topic. Someone was saying that for non-FF status folks (like me) who want cheap flights, this is what we get. However, I am still looking at flights to MCO for $800-900/pp. I don't consider that a cheap flight (x 4 = $3200-$3600), and I certainly don't want to pay $25 more for an extra bag . I guess we don't get to bring any souvenirs home from our travels, plus it makes it hard to bring dive gear (or even snorkel gear, including large fins) to Maui. We usually fill up one whole suitcase with just those items, and often it is overweight so we end up moving some items to another suitcase.

Oh well.

[beatja]

We ship our luggage via UPS to the resort the week before our trip. When we arrive to check in our luggage is there waiting for us and we don't have to worry about luggage restrictions. It has worked very well for us the last 3 trips and it is not that expensive to do.

[x3 skier]

Originally Posted by Luanne

The charge will generate more than $100 million in revenue and cost savings each year, UAL Corp. said.

Cost Savings = $0, Revenue Increase = $100 Million.

Cheers

["Roger"]

One thing not mentioned in this thread yet is that the weight restrictions remain unchanged. What they are apparently trying to encourage is checking one larger suitcase rather than two smaller ones. How this will play out is uncertain.

[Luanne]

Originally Posted by Icarus

I'm reading it the opposite way. If your ticket was purchased prior to Feb 4, you are subject to the baggage rules that were in effect when you purchased your ticket.

Correct, but you still need to be traveling before May 8. Any flights after May 5, no matter when purchased, the new rules will apply.

Tickets purchased before February 4, 2008 or any tickets for travel before May 5, 2008:
[These are the existing baggage limits)

Tickets purchased on or after February 4, 2008, for travel on or after May 5, 2008:
[The new baggage limits]

[camachinist]

Concur.... and three months is plenty of time to figure out how to consolidate one's stuff or add 25 bucks into the budget. Not pleasant but certainly no surprises in May...

Although the rancor on FT might be fun to read, I had to think that, if they had always had this fee, we would have never had to pay it. Hence, I have no rancor

Pat

[dougp26364]

Originally Posted by beatja

We ship our luggage via UPS to the resort the week before our trip. When we arrive to check in our luggage is there waiting for us and we don't have to worry about luggage restrictions. It has worked very well for us the last 3 trips and it is not that expensive to do.

Some resorts won't accept luggage unless you're already checked in. At least our Marriott Ocean Pointe has told us this when I asked them about it. It might be a good policy to call first to make certain the resort is expecting and will accept the delivery.

As for United, I've e-mailed them about my displeasure with this announcement. Not that losing my business will concern them but, if enough people say the same thing maybe they'll see the error of their ways.

[Luanne]

Originally Posted by camachinist

Concur.... and three months is plenty of time to figure out how to consolidate one's stuff or add 25 bucks into the budget. Not pleasant but certainly no surprises in May...

Pat

Our problem is that dd comes home from school at the end of May. Tickets were purchased quite awhile ago. Since it's the end of the year she has two checked bags, and one year she had three. So, it looks like we'll suck it up and have her pay for the second bag. Next year, we may just start shipping everything back and forth.

[njwhite]

Considering the cost of shipping UPS, $25 for a large suitcase may be a bargain. I shipped 2lb boxes of candy at Christmas and it was $7.95.

[camachinist]

I just checked UPS for shipping 50lbs from our house to Boston (a typical mileage run for me). Next Day Air is 280.00, more than what I usually pay for a mileage run ticket, and Ground is 56.20.

See how 25 bucks isn't so bad

Pat

[Luanne]

Yeah, shipping is probably not the way to go. We do end up shipping a couple of boxes of her stuff both to school and home at the end of the year, that's why I was thinking that we might just increase that amount and send her with one suitcase. Oh well, we'll see what happens. This year she should accrue enough miles to be a 25,000 mile elite.

[Jimster]

Actually, the tone on flyer talk about this seems to be one of interest but not necessarily irritation. Since most of them are elites, the charges don't apply. I thought one of the funniest suggestions/solutions was to simply ask your friendly Premier + member to check it for you for $10.

[Luanne]

I think the irritation is going to come into play for those travelers who aren't so savvy and have no idea that this change has come about. They'll get to the airport with their two bags per person to be checked, and when they find out about the charge will pitch a fit at that time. That should slow things down even more.

["Roger"]

Originally Posted by Luanne

Correct, but you still need to be traveling before May 8. Any flights after May 5, no matter when purchased, the new rules will apply.

Tickets purchased before February 4, 2008 or any tickets for travel before May 5, 2008:
[These are the existing baggage limits)

Tickets purchased on or after February 4, 2008, for travel on or after May 5, 2008:
[The new baggage limits]

We are reading this differently. Existing rules apply to

Tickets purchased before February 4, 2008 or any tickets for travel before May 5, 2008:

...one OR the other. So if you purchased a ticket prior to yesterday, old rules apply regardless of when you travel.