CA has started charging for 2nd checked bag

[RICHinNC]

i bet the baggage thieves love it....

 

[Diver Kat]

Luckily we already have our June Florida Keys tickets, or I'd be really ticked. But I don't have my December Florida tickets yet, so we may be using Jet Blue or SWA instead of Continental ..... unless they start charging too.

 

[almitywife]

i still gotta know... what are you taking that requires 2 bags???

3 months ago we did a vanuatu trip. 20kgs allowance, 18kgs of gear, 2 tees, 1 sarong, 1 pair of cossies, 2 pairs of reg-grundys and a toothbrush

cheers

 

[Rick Inman]

i still gotta know... what are you taking that requires 2 bags???

cheers

Well, I'm headed to Fl next week, not Coz, but I will need 3 out of our 4 bags for my dive gear - plus carry on the camera and the laptop. I'll have to juggle the gear to keep the bags under 50#.

BP/Wing, 5 regs, turtle fins, drysuit, wetsuit, smbs, reels, masks, 6cf suit gas bottle, save-a-dive kit and more.

BTW, United and US Airways is also adding the 2nd bag fee of $50.00 on May 5th.

 

[almitywife]

5 regs and a 6cf tank???

well theres your problem!!!



edit: my packing is a SS bpw, reel, smb, fins, aeroskin suit, ankle weights (yes, ankle weights!!), compass and all the usual stuff and still one bag and within allowance and camera gear and laptop in carryon (with regs and computer)

 

[tomcat114]

I work for nwa.com here is what the new policy is

Coach Class for tickets issued on/after March 29, 2008 for travel on/after May 5, 2008: Each ticketed passenger is allowed one (1) piece of checked luggage.
Each piece: 50 pounds (23 kg) with linear dimensions not to exceed 62 inches (158 cm).
Northwest Airlines' Silver, Gold and Platinum WorldPerks® Elite customers, SkyTeam Elite customers and passengers booked in full fare classes (Y or B) may still check two bags free of charge. Customers booked in First Class can continue to check up to three bags free of charge

So if you book full fare tickets you will have the extra bags for free. I guess I can understand why some people are upset about extra costs, but if you look at other air carriers lately 4 going out of biz in the last 2 weeks I can understand why airlines are charging more for everything. I read up here in Minnesota Startribune that when NWA projected what there fuel costs for 2008 it was at 88 bucks a barrel totaling 4.4 Billion dollars in fuel cost alone. now at the current rate at 100 plus a barrel they are projecting a cost of 5.2 billion...

 

[parrotheaddiver]

i still gotta know... what are you taking that requires 2 bags???

3 months ago we did a vanuatu trip. 20kgs allowance, 18kgs of gear, 2 tees, 1 sarong, 1 pair of cossies, 2 pairs of reg-grundys and a toothbrush

cheers

Damn...will you come pack for me....I leave for Fiji in a couple of months


Sigh I guess this useless thread will never die

 

[Christi]

I wasn't sure how to understand it.....if they would charge for the first leg like getting fm Austin to Houston and then on to Coz or other international points....some of us cannot get direct nonstop flights to international destinations so I thought that maybe that would be the way they would get their 25.00 bucks.... well this is probably trival useless information

Only if you book your flights seperately. If you book it with an international destination, it's an international flight...that's always been the case...same applies if upgrading etc. It applies for all legs unless they are booked as seperate itineraries.

 

[Christi]

I work for nwa.com here is what the new policy is

Coach Class for tickets issued on/after March 29, 2008 for travel on/after May 5, 2008: Each ticketed passenger is allowed one (1) piece of checked luggage.
Each piece: 50 pounds (23 kg) with linear dimensions not to exceed 62 inches (158 cm).
Northwest Airlines' Silver, Gold and Platinum WorldPerks® Elite customers, SkyTeam Elite customers and passengers booked in full fare classes (Y or B) may still check two bags free of charge. Customers booked in First Class can continue to check up to three bags free of charge

So if you book full fare tickets you will have the extra bags for free. I guess I can understand why some people are upset about extra costs, but if you look at other air carriers lately 4 going out of biz in the last 2 weeks I can understand why airlines are charging more for everything. I read up here in Minnesota Startribune that when NWA projected what there fuel costs for 2008 it was at 88 bucks a barrel totaling 4.4 Billion dollars in fuel cost alone. now at the current rate at 100 plus a barrel they are projecting a cost of 5.2 billion...

I know we feel as if we're getting nickled and dimed...but I think this way is better than increasing all fares ANOTHER $50 per RT ticket. Either way, they are going to compensate for the extra fuel costs, so at least this way only the people with extra bags absorb the costs.

I bought a new lightweight duffle (Skyway) with wheels at Costco for $25. I can get everything I need in there and then some and it still weighed less than 50 pounds...but that wasn't scuba gear. Anyway, with the exception of Florida and California dive travel, all of your scuba trips are going to be international, so it's not going to be a big deal for dive trips.

 

[georoc01]

I know we feel as if we're getting nickled and dimed...but I think this way is better than increasing all fares ANOTHER $50 per RT ticket. Either way, they are going to compensate for the extra fuel costs, so at least this way only the people with extra bags absorb the costs.

I bought a new lightweight duffle (Skyway) with wheels at Costco for $25. I can get everything I need in there and then some and it still weighed less than 50 pounds...but that wasn't scuba gear. Anyway, with the exception of Florida and California dive travel, all of your scuba trips are going to be international, so it's not going to be a big deal for dive trips.

That connection issue is a big one though on packages. For example, my trip in June is on a Sun country Flight out of Dallas. So while my flight from Denver to Dallas was only $150 RT to connect, the extra $50 would come into play and cost me more to get my bags to the charter. Same on many pacific trips that originate out of LAX.

Normally, I would have flown direct on Frontier, but they cut back on their flights to Cozumel. The charters out of Denver to many locations was on Champion, who ceased operations last month too.

So its a combination of things all hitting at once.