Luggage On Flights..

[top4718]

Why has taking luggage on a plane (a neccessity) suddenly become a total and utter rip off of massive proportions.

 

You used to get 20-25Kilos with an occasional small fine if you were slightly over.

 

Now it costs a ridiculous amount to put 15kilos in the hold and the 10kilos you can take onboard is managed ridiculously, does the 20stone passenger sat in the next seat have to pay more than little old 12stone me, no of course not.

 

Its a complete and utter scam and should be stopped.

[muddycoffee]

why are you sharing this with all the poor people of Sheffield forum who would never be able to pay for a flight abroad ?

Maybe this would be better in private messages to people who you have previously met in the Jet Set.

[ECCOnoob]

Why has taking luggage on a plane (a neccessity) suddenly become a total and utter rip off of massive proportions.

 

You used to get 20-25Kilos with an occasional small fine if you were slightly over.

 

Now it costs a ridiculous amount to put 15kilos in the hold and the 10kilos you can take onboard is managed ridiculously, does the 20stone passenger sat in the next seat have to pay more than little old 12stone me, no of course not.

 

Its a complete and utter scam and should be stopped.

 

No its not.

 

Luggage = weight. Weight = more fuel. Fuel costs money.

 

If you want your cheapo no frills flights you have to pay for the extras.

 

If you dont like it fly with an all inclusive carrier and pay through the nose instead.

 

As for fat people, im sure plenty of airlines would like to charge extra. In fact im pretty sure some American airlines have already tried enforcing a two seat purchase policy for overweight passengers. Problem is the wimpy crybaby brigade would go running to the euro court of whining liberals to appeal against it.

[dvp82]

Fly with a no frills / charter airline and expect to be tapped up for every little extra.

 

On the other hand, I've just flown back from Italy in ecomony with British Airways at a cost of just over £150 return. Included in the price was 23kg of hold luggage plus 2 pieces of cabin luggage, 1 at 23kg and the other been a laptop bag.

 

As for the 2 seat policy over in the USA. I know that Southwest Airlines do make a customer of size as the call it purchase 2 seats.

[top4718]

No its not.

 

Luggage = weight. Weight = more fuel. Fuel costs money.

 

If you want your cheapo no frills flights you have to pay for the extras.

 

If you dont like it fly with an all inclusive carrier and pay through the nose instead.

 

As for fat people, im sure plenty of airlines would like to charge extra. In fact im pretty sure some American airlines have already tried enforcing a two seat purchase policy for overweight passengers. Problem is the wimpy crybaby brigade would go running to the euro court of whining liberals to appeal against it.[/

 

When an airline company sets its prices from day one the weight/fuel usage will be factored in, they would be out of business otherwise, as fuel rises so does the cost of the flight, I didnt notice a decrease when luggage was charged separately, it's easy pickings to catch out customers and take money off them, the grubby unprofessional way it is handled also leaves a sour taste.

 

The above reply is typical of the "big business says we have to pay it so we believe them" mentality that pervades this country and makes us a continually ripped off laughing stock.

[ECCOnoob]

What are you talking about - laughing stock???. Every airlines does it there is no British rip of conspiracy.

 

Of course the business has to pay it. Do you think its all powered by fairy dust and magic!! If you filled up your car to the brim with luggage and charged down the motorway you would use more fuel

than a car with nothing but a couple of handbags.

 

Yes an airline averages its prices - it has to otherwise their books would be all over the place. Yes of course an airline obtains fuel at an agreed global rate but it still has no control over how much it has to put in the tank until Mr and Mrs Fatso turns up with their truckload of luggage, hence why it fluctuates. And lets not forget the main point of a business -profit. My god who'd have thunk it eh? Each flight has a projection of that and you have to keep the levels up.

 

Passengers chuck on a couple of extra bags each time and it eats away at your profit costs. THEREFORE - you make sure you recover that by charging for bags for those with tickets below a certain grade, charging for overweight bags or ensuring outsized bags are kicked off your flight and sent by cargo.

 

Why is it so hard - if you dont want to pay the charge then buy a normal priced ticket or fly with an airline with an all inclusive price. There are plenty out there and plenty of people who choose to fly with them because they want the full service an airline should have without the rugby scrum to the plane doors, service with a scowl from some child in an orange hoodie and constant hidden extras charges.

 

YOU are clearly choosing to fly with sleezyjet or whatever who are well known for giving you nothing and charging for everything extra. That's your choice.

 

Why do you think luggage should be free when you are clearly travelling on a heavilly discounted fare compared to the rack rate???? Its like you stopping in a hotel on an last minute economy rate and then complaining why your didn't get breakfast included.

 

There is no underhand tactics here. Its well publicised what each company charges for what. YOU make a choice who to fly with. If you dont like it, take a ferry, take a cruise ship, drive yourself.

 

You comment why now we are being charged. Well the fact is we did'nt have budget airlines. We only had full service national carriers with extremely expensive flights. Or a handful of tourist airlines where flights were included as part of package holidays.

 

15 years ago a flight advertised at 1p would have been unimaginable. That's where these charges come from.