Return to News Briefing
Checked Baggage Fees: From LCCs to Legacies April  2008

It started with Ryanair. Then it crossed the Atlantic and the Spirit caught on with Allegiant and Virgin America, too. Most recently, US legacy carriers Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways added checked baggage fees.

Checked baggage fee rules differ by carrier, by fare class, by destination… There are so many variations that it might, in fact, actually be easier to look at what airlines have not implemented checked baggage fees. In most cases, the fees do not apply to the following groups:

• Elite travelers
• Business and first class travelers
• Full-fare coach travelers (Y class)

The new fees are primarily policy changes of US airlines. United Airlines estimates this charge will generate $100 million in annual revenue. This is sorely needed revenue in today’s high fuel cost environment.

Travelers on most US airlines are still able to check one bag for free. The one bag for domestic travel restriction already applies to domestic travelers on British Airways (those traveling within the UK) and Qantas (those traveling within Australia). The lowest of the low-cost carriers – including Ryanair, Spirit and EasyJet – charge for all checked bags. Other carriers, including Lufthansa and Singapore, use the weight concept method for certain flights, with restrictions on total weight and not the number of bags. And, carriers such as American Airlines, Frontier, JetBlue and Southwest still allow domestic travelers two checked bags for free. Will this strategy be enough to translate into more passengers?

Following are links to the policies of select airlines around the world.

North America

Air Canada:http://www.aircanada.com/en/travelinfo/airport/baggage/checked.html

AirTran:http://www.airtran.com/policies/carry-on_checked.aspx

American:http://www.aa.com/aa/i18nForward.do?p=/travelInformation/baggage/baggageAllowance.jsp

Continental:http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/content/travel/baggage/checkbag.aspx

Delta:http://www.delta.com/traveling_checkin/baggage/baggage_allowance/excess_baggage/

Frontier:http://www.frontierairlines.com/frontier/plan-book/travel-info-services/baggage/checked-baggage.do

JetBlue:http://help.jetblue.com/SRVS/CGI-BIN/webisapi.dll/,/?St=76,E=0000000000015217217,K=357,Sxi=12,Case=obj(634)

Northwest:http://www.nwa.com/travel/luggage/checked.html

Southwest:http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/baggage.html

Spirit Airlines:http://www.spiritair.com/welcome.aspx?pg=policies#CheckedFees

United:http://www.united.com/page/middlepage/0,6823,1031,00.html

US Airways:http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/traveltools/baggage/baggagepolicies.aspx

Virgin America:www.virginamerica.com

WestJet:http://c3dsp.westjet.com/guest/baggage.jsp

Europe

Air France:http://www.airfrance.com/double6/UK/infolocale.nsf/(LookupPublishedWeb)/en-PRATI-Baggage_allowance?OpenDocument

British Airways:http://www.britishairways.com/travel/bagchk/public/en_gb

EasyJet:http://easyjet.com/EN/Planning/baggage.html

KLM:http://www.klm.com/travel/eg_en/travel_information/baggage/baggage_allowance/index.htm

Lufthansa:http://www.lufthansa.com/online/portal/lh/de/info_and_services/baggage?nodeid=1769603&l=en&cid=18002

Ryanair:http://www.ryanair.com/site/EN/conditions.php

Middle East/Africa/Asia/Pacific

All Nippon Airways:http://www.ana.co.jp/wws/us/eng/int/others/information/main_c_fr.html

Emirates:http://www.emirates.com/english/help/faqs/FAQDetails.aspx?faqCategory=214913#faq1

Singapore:http://www.singaporeair.com/saa/en_UK/content/before/plan/baggage_allowance.jsp

South African:http://ww2.flysaa.com/Leisure_master/Downloads/Baggage_docs/za_baggage_policy.pdf

Qantas:http://www.qantas.com.au/info/flying/beforeYouTravel/baggageChecked

Note: Fees discussed in this article are primarily fees for checked baggage and not excessive baggage weight fees. For additional information about the fees charged by each airline, please visit their Web sites. Source: Company Web sites and news releases.

© Prepared by Aviation Capital Associates.