Who Thought the Airline Luggage Fiasco Could Get Worse?
May 15, 2009 | Uncategorized
In the past year I’ve posted a number of blogs critical of all those new luggage policies heaped upon us by the airlines. Airline luggage fees, after all, are a booming business.
Last year luggage fees collected from travelers amounted to $1.15 billion (yes, that’s $1+billion) which is more than double what they were the previous year. It is now a profit center for the airlines, and one that has helped keep them in business.
I hate having to pay for checked luggage. It’s one of the reasons I always try to fly with carry-on only. The other reason is that I never completely trust any airline to get my luggage to my destination at the same time as me. Nothing like going into a spiffy business meeting wearing your jeans and dirty shirt from the previous day.
Anyway, I’m certain many of us have been thinking, “how could it ever get worse?”
But it just has. And you’re not going to believe this. According to Travel Weekly, Air Jamaica has just come out with a new luggage policy. You want to sit down here, or at least grab a stiff drink before reading further.
On its flights between New York and Grenada and Barbados, Air Jamaica will transport your first checked bag at no charge, but it will charge you $25 for the second bag. But that’s not the bad part, so you may want to take another belt of that scotch.
Your second bag will not even go on the same plane as you. But hold it, it gets worse — it won’t even go the same day, only sometime within the following 7 days.
And here’s where you want to take another belt. Better make than two. After your bag does arrive you will have to go to the airport to pick it up.
Since the folks at Air Jamaica know that a lot of people’s Caribbean vacations are less than seven days in duration, I guess they’ve figured out you can just pick up that bag at the airport on your way home.
Look at that — they’ve saved you an extra taxi fare. Who says care has gone out of the airline business?
Jim Ferri
