New checked bag fees...

[cvchief]

Um... <raises hand>

For a 12 day stay on Cozumel, my wife and I together fill one checked bag with dive gear, and then we each have one for our clothes and stuff, so it's actually 1 1/2 checked bags each, but if I were traveling alone, I'd need two.

Well you are quite a clothes horse aren't you, you fashion plate?

 

[Christi]

...from the US to Mexico on the airline formerly known as Continental:

First bag free
Second bag $40, up from $25 last year at about this time.

No surprise there, I guess.

They charged me $200 to bring my bike down in the proper bike box/container - although I was paying for excess/oversized/sports equipment and had plenty of room in the box - I could not allow the box to exceed 50lbs unless it was only the actual bike exceeding that weight. Of course my bike is very light, but still, all I could shove int here were some clothes for "padding" and a few miscellaneous items

Wonder what they are going to do for the Ironmen/women in September (1/2 IM) AND November (Full IM)! It's ridiculous considering how light the bikes really are!!!

It is truly no longer Continental - United all the way now - including the rude flight attendants and United attitude! I REALLY miss the old IAH - CZM flight crew!

 

[TomZ]

The number of bags is pretty dependent on what equipment you bring. I can fit all my gear in one carry-on and one checked bag. Unfortunately the checked bag will be at 50lbs before it's at full capacity. Full load of basic equipment: mask, fins, snorkel, SMB w/mirror and whistle, bc, regs, wetsuit, light, camera equipment, spare batteries, CO and O2 testers... it all adds up. I understand how weight effects fuel consumption, however the 300+lb human crowding me out of my allotted seat space gets the same weight allowance I do. Logically if he's OK, I should get lots more allowed baggage weight... You should pay for the space and weight you occupy and put on board. AND you should be able to utilize the space you pay for.

 

[ajtoady]

Kinda makes you wonder where some airlines' heads are at. When you can fly with two free checked bags on some and others will screw you to the wall for bags. I personally hate carry-on baggage except for my laptop and or briefcase. Also have to agree with Christi about the United attitude. I still try to use SWA for my travels in the states. Free bags and if I get canceled on a job, the price of the ticket that I cancel, goes into my acct. to be used later. Yeah I know, the saying that it's cattle car seating, but I don't fly first or business class unless I am going to another continent.

 

[ggunn]

Well you are quite a clothes horse aren't you, you fashion plate?

Yeah. Look for me on the cover of an upcoming GQ. I'll be the one in frayed cargo shorts, battered canvas hat, sandals, and a threadbare Grateful Dead '92 World Tour Tshirt.

 

[t4e]

Kinda makes you wonder where some airlines' heads are at. When you can fly with two free checked bags on some and others will screw you to the wall for bags.

unless you go business class i'm pretty sure all airlines allow 1 free checked bag this days

we use Westjet for our traveling and for second bag they charge $20, and its the same fee for scuba gear

 

[jlyle]

For most people this should be a non-issue. How many people need TWO checked bags and a carry-on?

Photographers.

 

[azscubadude]

Photographers.

+1

Plus.. since I travel alone AND am a photographer AND stay for 10 days to 2 weeks) I need..

2 checked bags (one usually overweight by a few pounds with dive gear, strobe arms, regulator, etc)
1 carry-on full of camera gear (but legal as far as weight and size)
1 personal bag (what airlines call it) with all necessary paperwork, passport, funds, prescription mask, prescriptions meds, glasses, laptop, etc. Generally things that don't leave my side and would ruin the trip or strand me if they got lost or stolen (example, I can dive with a rented reg but not without my prescription mask (and should really carry two masks, and always used to, until all the extra restrictions)).

Even if I would leave the camera gear home I would still have 3 bags (carry-on, dive gear, clothes).

So for me its 4 bags for every trip.

 

[blue steal]

For most people this should be a non-issue. How many people need TWO checked bags and a carry-on?

I guess you don't know my filipina wife. Every year on a trip to the Philippines it's 5 checked bags at 72 lb each, 4 for her and 1 for me, plus at least 4-6 boxes shipped ahead of time.

 

[mstevens]

I was happy to get flights on Continental at the end of April. Then they transmogrified to United. What a pain. We had bickering flight crews (announcing over the PA that there were problems with United's weight and balance software that kept us on the tarmac for 30 extra minutes), cranky attendants, seatback monitors for programming that cost money, draconian weight limits, 2nd bag fees, etc. ad infinitum.