Delta Airlines : 25$ for second checked bag

[outrun]

Medallion Members and those on international flights are exempted. Among other new junk fees would be 3$ curbside check-in, 25$ for redeeming Skymiles on other Skyteam members (NW,CO,SU etc).

So my question this, would it not be more responsible to just charge a 25$ fuel surcharge? I would rather pay higher airfares for fuel than face a list of petty add on fees. Of course, my guess is that a lighter aircraft (with less baggage) mean less fuel consumption. I wonder if this fee will be shortlived or followed by other carriers. If not I may have to walk away from DL after a lifetime of loyalty and hundreds of thousands of air miles.

 

[Oldmoparguy1]

Continental charges $50 for over 50lbs. We had one weigh in at 49.5. Wifes bag of course.

 

[oilyriser]

Should charge by weight, for passenger plus luggage, plus a volume surcharge for luggage per cubic foot. Plenty of food and drink will be needed on board in case too many people go on crash diets right before the flight.

 

[Shannow]

Yep, a Danica surcharge.

The plane has a fixed dry weight, a fixed drag coefficient, a fixed frontal area, and a fixed l/d ratio...the variable is take-off weight.

You and your luggage are weighed on a treadmill, as the credit card tied to your lapel is swiped. Ticket is charged on the weight added to the plane.

Fuel then dispensed according to the required burn for the trip plus safety margin.

Demis Rousos (sp) was on a plane with my Dad 30 years ago. He was charged per seat that he spread across.

I think weigh bridge is fairer.

 

[oilyriser]

... and weight surcharge is geometric, rising faster the further you go, since extra weight requires extra fuel, which adds extra weight and so on.

 

[Tosh]

Everyone knows people get stressed by punishment. Instead, I propose an incentive program based on accumulating credits for light loads and narrow behinds.

(We paid $85 for an extra bag from NY to London. Still cheaper than mail or UPS...)

 

[Dyoel182]

Originally Posted By: outrun

So my question this, would it not be more responsible to just charge a 25$ fuel surcharge? I would rather pay higher airfares for fuel than face a list of petty add on fees.


Just because you would doesnt mean anyone else would. People are gonna scream and [censored] about any increase you add to their ticket that they cant avoid paying.

 

[heathenbrewing]

Originally Posted By: Dyoel182

So my question this, would it not be more responsible to just charge a 25$ fuel surcharge? I would rather pay higher airfares for fuel than face a list of petty add on fees.



How is that more responsible? In reality, it is less responsible. When I travel out of the country yearly, I NEVER take anything other than 1 bag which I carry on... I dont check-in anything.

If you want to take more baggage, I feel you should pay for and not try to pawn the addition expense off onto people like me who understand the importance of travelling light.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: heathenbrewing
If you want to take more baggage, I feel you should pay for and not try to pawn the addition expense off onto people like me who understand the importance of travelling light.

I agree completely. I travel frequently within the US, always with just a carry-on because waiting for the checked luggage to come out takes up time.

For Delta (and other airlines that will follow), this extra $25 per bag has more than one benefit. It will force some people to check in fewer bags. This means fewer bags to handle on the ground, fewer bags to get lost or damaged, fewer claims to be settled.

 

[outrun]

As a student travelling back and forth, my luggage is my whole life story. I would imagine other families have similar situations. So basically the only people who will pay more or those who really need the second bags out of necessity. Those that won't pay will be business man who travel light or 1st class and medallions who get 3 checked in bags free anyway. Or when we travel to third world countries your [censored] skippy we travel heavy. We are carrying survival stores, it is nothing about us being bellicose or irresponsible. So who is this policy really taking on? It is me, even though this Airline has made thousands and thousands of dollars of me in so far with absolute loyalty. If DL wants to turn all of us in to DL Cargo parcels .... that at least would be much more responsible and honest. Do not call me a passenger when you view me simply as cargo

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: outrun
As a student travelling back and forth, my luggage is my whole life story. I would imagine other families have similar situations.

I would imagine families have a lot of stuff. Not enough to take with them on a plane anyway.

Quote:
So basically the only people who will pay more or those who really need the second bags out of necessity.

I still think it's fair for the ticket price to be linked to the actual amount of stuff that you carry. By the same token, if you're too big to fit in one seat, they should make you pay for two.

Quote:
Those that won't pay will be business man who travel light or 1st class and medallions who get 3 checked in bags free anyway.

But a first class ticket already costs an arm an a leg.

Quote:
Or when we travel to third world countries your [censored] skippy we travel heavy. We are carrying survival stores, it is nothing about us being bellicose or irresponsible.

This $25 fee does not apply to international flights.

 

[oilyriser]

The first class people are actually subsidizing the cheaper seats, because they put less weight on the plane per cubic foot space they take up.

Does anyone know how much extra fuel it really takes to carry an extra kg of weight half way around the world?

If I take luggage, and it's underweight, and I decide to fill it with bricks to get my money's worth, how much extra fuel will those bricks be costing the airline?