Delta increasing fees for checked bags

[Jarid in Cedar]

As we learned, the fees are for one way so double them to count your return flight.

[scottie]

The average domestic fare in the second quarter of 2009 was $301.26. Back in 2000 it was $339.21, which is $420.12 when adjusted for inflation. When adding $55 in baggage fees to today's ticket prices, the overall cost is down 12% from 2000. So why hide fees like this?

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Good info.

[Moliere]

But when people make their purchasing decisions (when they're comparing prices on the internet), they don't factor in the price of luggage. So unless you're a regular traveller who knows to include that cost, most people will book the cheapest ticket and separate the cost of the luggage from the cost of the ticket.

I think eventually Southwest will fold, and start charging for luggage as well.

Either that or smart travel websites like kayak will start including the price for luggage in its route comparisons.

You would have to be terribly misinformed or ignorant to not take the luggage fees into consideration when purchasing a ticket. When I fly with family, we now pack one giant suitcase instead of three or four smaller ones. We put everything else in carryons.

I know business travelers that frequently ship their luggage via FedEx. The cost is not too much different now and they get a tracking number and the peace of mind that their luggage will most likely be waiting for them at the hotel.

[Surfah]

Don't forget that Delta already charges an additional $5 fee if you don't pay for your checked bags online, the day before departure. So the $15 (now $23) is actually $20/28, each way. It cost us about $90 extra for the three of us to each pack a suitcase for our trip to Montana, and under this new system it would have cost us an extra $138/168. I think this is well within the range to elicit consumer protest.

This is true. Also there is a charge if you book your flight in any other way than online. Just last week I was booking a flight for my FIL online and the website kept timing out and such. So I called Delta's CS to make sure I hadn't been charged for the ticket I was trying to buy and to book my flight. They said that I'd be charged $20 to book it over the phone. So the CSR transferred me to a tech to try and find out why I couldn't finish my booking online. That tech had no clue what was going on, so I said forget it and bought the ticket online from Orbitz for the same price.

[statman]

The story is the same all over.

Same story all over - except for Southwest. An incredibly well-run company...

[I.J. Reilly]

Same story all over - except for Southwest. An incredibly well-run company...

Southwest isn't a legacy airline, now is it?

Like I hinted at earlier, I like how Southwest operates. They have been able to not only survive but prosper in a supremely competitive market.

They did post their first ever quarterly loss for Q1 in 2009 and Q1 in 2010 is projected as a loss for them too. However, given the economic times, and the fact that the quarter losses don't outweigh the yearly earnings, I would say that they continue to get along fine in their cut-throat business.

[Surfah]

Continental follows suit and matches Delta's fees. I imagine by week's end the rest will have also. Ridiculous.

[byu71]

Continental follows suit and matches Delta's fees. I imagine by week's end the rest will have also. Ridiculous.

I wonder if this fee applies to only certain flights. When we flew to Oklahoma on our way to the game in Texas, we got hit with the fee.

I booked flights to San Diego for this weekend and there was no mention of an additional baggage fee. One of my buddies did get hit for $150 when he had to change the day he was flying down.

[Surfah]

I wonder if this fee applies to only certain flights. When we flew to Oklahoma on our way to the game in Texas, we got hit with the fee.

I booked flights to San Diego for this weekend and there was no mention of an additional baggage fee. One of my buddies did get hit for $150 when he had to change the day he was flying down.

I am pretty sure this is for all domestic flights. And those are the prices if you check in online. It's more if you check in at the airport, $25 for first and $35 for the second.

Also, it looks like Northwest too has raised their fees to match. Monkey see, monkey do.

[scottie]

I am pretty sure this is for all domestic flights. And those are the prices if you check in online. It's more if you check in at the airport, $25 for first and $35 for the second.

Also, it looks like Northwest too has raised their fees to match. Monkey see, monkey do.

Northwest and Delta merged not too long ago, naturally they would have the same luggage fees.

[Surfah]

Northwest and Delta merged not too long ago, naturally they would have the same luggage fees.

True I forgot that. I imagine the alliance members will all follow suit though.

[byu71]

Here is another thing I don't get. When I bought the tickets for my buddy and I, I elected to have flight insurance. My understanding was the insurance was to protect you if you needed to change your flight.

We needed to change his flight and when I called Delta they said it would cost $150. I said, well I bought the insurance. She said you have to deal with the insurance company, I guess they have a partnership.

I called the insurance company and they said to submit the request and reason for changing the flight. They will review it and let us know whether they will pay or not. I don't think I will be buying flight insurance again.

[scottie]

Here is another thing I don't get. When I bought the tickets for my buddy and I, I elected to have flight insurance. My understanding was the insurance was to protect you if you needed to change your flight.

We needed to change his flight and when I called Delta they said it would cost $150. I said, well I bought the insurance. She said you have to deal with the insurance company, I guess they have a partnership.

I called the insurance company and they said to submit the request and reason for changing the flight. They will review it and let us know whether they will pay or not. I don't think I will be buying flight insurance again.

I was just looking at this the other day when looking to book on Delta.com and just looked it up again for future reference. Delta has refundable fares, nonrefundable fares, and trip insurance.

Refundable fares (which are priced higher, obviously): "You can change your itinerary without paying a change fee."

Nonrefundable fares: "Changes to your itinerary are generally permitted upon the collection of an Administrative Service Fee and any difference in the applicable fare."

Trip insurance: "Coverage includes Trip Cancellation/ Interruption coverage that reimburses prepaid, unused, non-refundable travel expenses should your trip be cancelled or interrupted due to any covered reason."

(I'm a nerd for looking that up). Have they told you if your buddy's reason for changing the flight falls under what they cover?

[Katy Lied]

From Access America's website:

Covered reasons include sudden medical emergencies, death of a family member or traveling companion, certain terrorist acts, bad weather that completely shuts down your common carrier, or being called for jury duty. Please see the Certificate of Insurance/Policy for complete details. Simply changing your mind is not a covered reason.

By the way, the news last night said that Airlines are taxed on their ticket income but not their baggage fees. If I were an airline, I would defer as much revenue as possible to fees.

[I.J. Reilly]

Here is another thing I don't get. When I bought the tickets for my buddy and I, I elected to have flight insurance. My understanding was the insurance was to protect you if you needed to change your flight.

We needed to change his flight and when I called Delta they said it would cost $150. I said, well I bought the insurance. She said you have to deal with the insurance company, I guess they have a partnership.

I called the insurance company and they said to submit the request and reason for changing the flight. They will review it and let us know whether they will pay or not. I don't think I will be buying flight insurance again.

Just another reason to choose Southwest if you don't mind flying with the holi poli. You can change your flight anytime you buy it up to 24 hours before departure without extra fees. My wife recently changed a ticket twice on a flight from Reno. First she changed the day she was going to come back to Salt Lake. The she decided to fly into Vegas and changed the flight to there. No problem, whatsoever. In fact, she was credited some money because the flight to Vegas was cheaper than the flight to Salt Lake.