The airlines suck! New fees! Complain now!

[Diver Dennis]

I just came back from Micronesia at Christmas. Continental charges for overweight bags, not scuba gear. The real problem now is weight, they have just cracked down on bags over 50lbs. For tickets purchased before September last year, the limit was still 70lbs. Continental used to have an exemption, as some charters out of Canada do and probably other airlines, for scuba gear but that is all in the past now. We were charged $80 per overweight bag and $100 for my extra housing case out of LAX. The charges out of Guam and in Micronesia were $25 for overweight and $50 for an extra.

 

[StSomewhere]

BTW, if you DO want to complain about something, complain about the airlines that will accept a set of golf clubs at no charge in addition to normal luggage.

Please leave my golf clubs out of it. Its winter and I get very few chances to play golf this time of year unless its in Florida.

FWIW, the golf clubs do count as one piece of checked luggage.

 

[RonFrank]

I just came back from Micronesia at Christmas. Continental charges for overweight bags, not scuba gear. The real problem now is weight, they have just cracked down on bags over 50lbs. For tickets purchased before September last year, the limit was still 70lbs. Continental used to have an exemption, as some charters out of Canada do and probably other airlines, for scuba gear but that is all in the past now. We were charged $80 per overweight bag and $100 for my extra housing case out of LAX. The charges out of Guam and in Micronesia were $25 for overweight and $50 for an extra.

I can think of no reason why the airlines have imposed such limitations other than pure $$$. The 70lbs international rule has been in place for a LONG time. So obviously this is not a weight problem, but rather a money issue.

How can airlines extract good sums of money from their clients? Change $80 for overweight luggage :11doh:

You figure if one is 20lbs overweight, thats about $4 a pound!! What a scam!

 

[DandyDon]

IMO don't EVER try and fly with a tank, even a pony. I know some do, but IMO it's just inviting surcharges.

Ron, you may have noticed that I post that my 19 cf pony goes where I go. For a couple of years the TSA would not actually address the issue and I didn't even bother removing the valve. Now I do, and just replace it before taking it to the local dive shop for a fill. No, I don't viz it every time. I personally pack and handle it, and it's for my personal use, so I feel comfortable with the responsibility.

Anyway, the pony & valve go inside the bag, which the airline does not open. I stand and watch in Lubbock as TSA opens it for inspection, with a copy of the TSA current document on tanks in the little bag with the pony - no problems. On return from destination, I often don't get to watch, but still - after dozens of trips, no problems.

 

[detroit diver]

I agree with the Skycap, however it does not always work Leaving from DIA last summer, the guy grabbed my bag, and then immediately hauled it over to the scale. He then told me I was three lbs overweight... but he did not make an issue of it.

..........

A few extra bucks will cause your bags to immediately lighten by more than a few pounds!! (mine went 17 lbs lighter in a matter of seconds...<G>).

 

[Diver Dennis]

A lot of folks now carry a light duffel bag just in case they ahve to take some stuff out. When we left on November 24th from LAX, one lady was 1lb. over and the agent gave her a plastic bag to put some stuff in because he said he would have to charge her. She was quite upset...

 

[Diver Dennis]

Good point about the Skycaps, I'll have to try that.

 

[detroit diver]

It's all got to do w/ money. With the airlines in bankruptcy, or close to it, every extra dollar helps them. If you save 20lbs per person on a plane that handles 200 people, that's 4000 lbs that they don't have to pay fuel for. In addition, they get to make additional revenue on those that they can charge overweight.

I can't wait until they put a max on how much YOU can weigh, or pay overage. Then you'll really hear screaming!

I can think of no reason why the airlines have imposed such limitations other than pure $$$. The 70lbs international rule has been in place for a LONG time. So obviously this is not a weight problem, but rather a money issue.

How can airlines extract good sums of money from their clients? Change $80 for overweight luggage :11doh:

You figure if one is 20lbs overweight, thats about $4 a pound!! What a scam!

 

[Diver Dennis]

I can think of no reason why the airlines have imposed such limitations other than pure $$$. The 70lbs international rule has been in place for a LONG time. So obviously this is not a weight problem, but rather a money issue.

How can airlines extract good sums of money from their clients? Change $80 for overweight luggage :11doh:

You figure if one is 20lbs overweight, thats about $4 a pound!! What a scam!

20 lbs. is a sustantial reduction. I talked to a TSA guy from San Diego who was in Chuuk doing a security assesment and he said it was a fuel cost thing. Yeah, right, that's it! I would like to see the numbers.

 

[DandyDon]

A lot of folks now carry a light duffel bag just in case they ahve to take some stuff out. When we left on November 24th from LAX, one lady was 1lb. over and the agent gave her a plastic bag to put some stuff in because he said he would have to charge her. She was quite upset...

My god I bet she was! :11: One pound, jeeze. I was concerned about being a few pounds over with my bags last month - flying an airline other than the one that allows me extra weight - but they didn't bother weighing them at Lubbock or Ft.laudedalre.

On the other hand, I have tipped Skycaps to check in my luggage at Lubbock only to have them whisk it away to the airline counter and put it on the scales for them. Arrrg!!

It's all got to do w/ money. With the airlines in bankruptcy, or close to it, every extra dollar helps them. If you save 20lbs per person on a plane that handles 200 people, that's 4000 lbs that they don't have to pay fuel for. In addition, they get to make additional revenue on those that they can charge overweight.

I can't wait until they put a max on how much YOU can weigh, or pay overage. Then you'll really hear screaming!

Yep, and complaining will not do much. They would charge oversized passengers if they could, but we're protected by Federal laws. :lol2: