Luggage fees-I give up!

misguidedangel · #1 (**permalink**) October 30th, 2008, 08:40 PM

That is it, I am going to bring two pieces of luggage for January and begrudgingly pay the $40 it will cost, even though travellers to Europe don't have to pay luggage surcharge. I'm flying UNited in Janaury and there is no way I can pack for a seven day cruise and have enough room for all the goodies I bring home. I tried in in September and I spent $400 less than I want to in buying goodies because I had ZERO room in my rolling carry on for anymore goodies after Cozumel (port #2 of 4!). I could have bought some stunning maya carved limestone in Belize, but there was no room in my suitcase. I also wanted to buy a wonderful carved box in Roatan, alas, no room in the suitcase!

My one suitcase (free on Air Canada) was so full the extender had a hard time closing. I also packed it just right--the one suitcase weighted EXACTLY 50lbs.....I am glad they didn't weigh the carry on, it proably weighted 30-40lbs with the heavier/breakable items packed in it....

No, I will pay $40 each way to bring two pieces of luggage. I'm going to have to pay $60-80 for cab fare to get home from the airport at midnight anyhow....

Please, if any airline exectives are reading these posts, STOP the domestic/transboder baggage fee! It is a cash grab by the airlines so they show a profit....be nice to us passengers, stop the charge!!!!!

Donna · #2 (**permalink**) November 2nd, 2008, 08:46 AM

I agree, with the fuel prices going down, they should at least adjust the charge, I would hope?

worthew8 · #3 (**permalink**) November 5th, 2008, 06:52 PM

For years now, I have been using postal service to send things home. Once in Hawaii, my luggage 'broke' half way through the trip. I packed it with all the goodies I bought and mailed it home.

Of course, a post office trip takes time out of your vacation. It also costs some money, depending on the weight. But if I see something I want to purchase, I will get it.

Heck, I have shipped my dirty clothes home a couple of times.

Keep smiling...

Rev22:17 · #4 (**permalink**) November 6th, 2008, 08:22 PM

misguidedangel,

Quote:

Originally Posted by You

That is it, I am going to bring two pieces of luggage for January and begrudgingly pay the $40 it will cost, even though travellers to Europe don't have to pay luggage surcharge. I'm flying UNited in Janaury and there is no way I can pack for a seven day cruise and have enough room for all the goodies I bring home. I tried in in September and I spent $400 less than I want to in buying goodies because I had ZERO room in my rolling carry on for anymore goodies after Cozumel (port #2 of 4!). I could have bought some stunning maya carved limestone in Belize, but there was no room in my suitcase. I also wanted to buy a wonderful carved box in Roatan, alas, no room in the suitcase!

My one suitcase (free on Air Canada) was so full the extender had a hard time closing. I also packed it just right--the one suitcase weighted EXACTLY 50lbs.....I am glad they didn't weigh the carry on, it proably weighted 30-40lbs with the heavier/breakable items packed in it....

No, I will pay $40 each way to bring two pieces of luggage. I'm going to have to pay $60-80 for cab fare to get home from the airport at midnight anyhow....

Please, if any airline exectives are reading these posts, STOP the domestic/transboder baggage fee! It is a cash grab by the airlines so they show a profit....be nice to us passengers, stop the charge!!!!!

Actually, it's the baggage fee that's terribly misguided -- and I suspect that the airlines will drop it like a hot potato as soon as they figure out that delays to check carry-on baggage for which there isn't enough room in the overhead bins are delaying departures sufficiently to gum up their operations.

Norm.

misguidedangel · #5 (**permalink**) November 7th, 2008, 02:49 PM

Yes, it seems that it takes forever to load a plane and the overhead is now getting more and more overloaded because people are packing a rolling carry on and bringing one bag (like I did). The flight I took in September should have been loaded and ready to take off by 12:20-12:30am (red eye flight), but it was a few minutes before 1am before we taxied away from the gate and left. I didn't mind as I had 3h45m to kill at Toronto Pearson waiting for the flight to Miami....alas, travelling alone means you can't crash for a while because no one is there to keep an eye on your bags.....

I am going to make the final decision if I bring two suitcases or one+rolling carry on + packed duffle bag a during the Xmas break cuz that is when I'll be pulling the suitcases out and packing 75% of my clothes!!!! The good thing about travelling when it is cold (and winter) is you can wash all the tank tops, shorts, and summery clothes and pack them because it tends to be too cold to wear a tak top and shorts outside when it is colder than zero degrees celcius....

Real Batman · #6 (**permalink**) January 20th, 2009, 03:51 PM

Go Westjet! Then you can take two pieces of checked luggage AND two carry on.

I avoid AC whenever I can. (especially since I am from the West!)

Rev22:17 · #7 (**permalink**) January 20th, 2009, 05:06 PM

Real Batman,

Quote:

Originally Posted by You

Go Westjet! Then you can take two pieces of checked luggage AND two carry on.

I avoid AC whenever I can. (especially since I am from the West!)

As a WestJet stockholder, I certainly appreciate seeing unsolicited recommendations!

But seriously, the real secret is to fly 25,000 miles per year -- and to concentrate it all on ONE major airline. That brings automatic membership in the first elite tier of the airline's frequent flyer program -- the perks of which include a waiver of ALL fees for checked luggage up to seventy (70) pounds. It's not difficult to find places where you can go for an economical weekend getaway to accrue a few miles.

Norm.

jess'smom · #8 (**permalink**) January 20th, 2009, 05:49 PM

I am cruising next month and have already decided that i am just going to pay the fees and not worry about two pieces of luggage. My plan is to pack a folding lightweight bag in my one big bag going down to Florida. I will use that extra to bring back my souveniers and pay for the second bag on the return flight. The bag is similiar to a duffle bag, I bought it on my last HAL cruise since at the end of the cruise I couldn't fit everything I had bought in my first suitcase.

Hollyday · #9 (**permalink**) January 23rd, 2009, 11:40 PM

Below is a link for a method of packing that I found. I didn't believe how much you could get in a suitecase using this method until I tried it. Last two 7-day cruises I've only taken one case for each of us except his suit & my dress in a garment bag. With what the airlines are charging for checking bags these days this could also save you some money. It also make embarcation and debarcation a breeze. The link gives you step by step instructions so even I could do I.

http://www.packinglight.net/plight/text_1.asp?tx_id=90

Hope it helps.
Holly

tbowman · #10 (**permalink**) January 24th, 2009, 02:17 AM

Southest does not charge for bags at all. I dont know if that will help you or not, but they are a really good airlines and they have a heck of a sale right now.

yamaha dancer · #11 (**permalink**) January 31st, 2009, 02:39 AM

The packing light link is great.

misguidedangel · #12 (**permalink**) February 5th, 2009, 08:40 PM

United is still charging for BOTH bags. I was charged $40 Canadian going down to Florida and $40 US when coming home to Canada.

My flight for FLL is with Air Canada--NO luggage fees so I can bring two and no charges.....I'll bring one big one and the smalller rolling carry on+a carry on bag just in case I spend too much...