Hopping On the Gravy Plane

September 3, 2009 | Uncategorized

Perhaps it’s time to fly naked. After all, soon that will be the only way to get around all the added luggage fees being heaped upon us by the airlines.

There are two reasons the airlines charge extra fees for checked baggage.

First, it provides them with a lot of extra money at, literally, almost no cost.

When airlines first started charging for extra bags last year it was estimated the fees would result in about $400 million a year in ancillary revenue for domestic carriers. But now, according to the Business Travel Coalition, charged luggage revenue in the U.S. brings the airlines $2+ billion per year. Talk about growth industries.

And the second reason — because they can. Yes, airlines will continue to charge extra fees because the flying public — you and I, their customers — aren’t screaming obscenities about it. Let’s face it, we’re just easy pickin’s.

And it continues. Last week US Airways announced that on domestic flights it will now charge $20 to check your first bag and $25 to check a second one — but hold it, it gets even better — plus a service fee of $5 (per bag) to check your bags at the airport (you can check your bags in online), which brings the fees to $25 and $30 respectively.

If you think that’s bad, US Airways said it will now also charge you $50 to check a second bag if you’re flying transatlantic, matching what Delta already charges on its flights to Europe. As happened when these fees were first introduced, most other carriers will wait to see what the public reaction will be, and then jump on board the gravy plane, as well. Last week, for example, American added a fee for a second bag on some of its international routes.

And, as anyone who flies regularly knows, if your bags are overweight you better stop at the bank on the way to the airport and get a line of credit since hefty additional fees will apply.

Let’s face facts — these increases won’t come to an end until customers start screaming bloody murder. And when (if?) that happens the airlines will just stop the increases and lock in the fees at that moment.

With a cool $2 billion stuffed in their flight jackets you didn’t think that they’d go back to no fees, did you?

Jim Ferri