United Announces Changes to Domestic Checked Baggage Policy

 

• Effective with tickets purchased on (2/4) for travel on or after May 5, 2008, United has implemented a new baggage policy. 

The policy applies to those traveling within the US or to/from Canada, San Juan, or St Thomas.

 

• Travelers using non-refundable fares and not holding preferred status within Mileage Plus or another Star Alliance

carrier program equivalent will be permitted only one free checked bag.  A second bag may be checked for $25. 

 

• For all customers, the fee for the third or fourth bags would be $100.

 

• Please note that there is no change in the current policy for elite status travelers of United or other Star carriers or those

without status traveling in First or Business Class or Economy Class with fully refundable fares.

 

United is announcing a new checked bag policy for customers who purchase nonrefundable domestic economy tickets.  Customers purchasing nonrefundable domestic economy tickets who do not have status in Mileage Plus or Star Alliance may check one bag for free and a second bag for a $25 service fee.  Customers who have attained Premier status or higher in Mileage Plus or who have Silver status and above with a Star Alliance partner, are exempt from this policy change.  The new policy applies to tickets purchased on or after February 4, 2008 for travel on or after May 5, 2008. All customers traveling on United may check at least one free bag. The number of free bags allowed per customer will vary according to your Mileage Plus status and/or the type of ticket purchased.  The tables below highlight the number of bags that customers can check free of charge: Tickets purchased before or after February 4, 2008 for travel before May 5, 2008: Mileage Plus status / Type of ticket Free bag allowance Maximum weight Non-members or General Members of Mileage Plus on non-refundable Economy fares 2 50 lbs/23kg All First or Business class customers / All Economy class customers on refundable fares / All Premier and Premier Associate Mileage Plus members on any fare 2 50 lbs/23kg each Global Services, 1K, Premier Executive Mileage Plus members and Star Alliance Gold members on any fare 3 70 lbs/32kg each Tickets purchased on or after February 4, 2008, for travel on or after May 5, 2008: Mileage Plus status / Type of ticket Free bag allowance Maximum weight Non-members or General Members of Mileage Plus on non-refundable Economy fares 1 50 lbs/23kg All First or Business class customers / All Economy class customers on refundable fares / All Premier and Premier Associate Mileage Plus members on any fare 2 50 lbs/23kg each Global Services, 1K, Premier Executive Mileage Plus members and Star Alliance Gold members on any fare 3 70 lbs/32kg each   The maximum size of each checked bag is 62 inches/158cm (length + width + height) Each checked bag must have the name of the person traveling on the outside of the bag United recommends that you arrive at the airport 90 minutes prior to departure to complete the check-in process Baggage must be checked at the airport at least 30 minutes in advance of flight departure time except for the following airports which have a 45 minute cut-off time for baggage check-in: Atlanta, Georgia (ATL) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (PHL) Charlotte, North Carolina (CLT) Phoenix, Arizona (PHX) Chicago, Illinois O'Hare (ORD) Portland, Oregon (PDX) Denver, Colorado (DEN) Reno, NV (RNO) Edmonton, Alberta, Canada (YEG) Sacramento, California (SMF) Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (YHZ) Santa Ana (Orange County), California (SNA) Indianapolis, Indiana (IND) Seattle, Washington (SEA) Las Vegas, Nevada (LAS) San Francisco, California (SFO) Los Angeles, California (LAX) Tampa, Florida (TPA) Montreal, Quebec, Canada, (YUL) Toronto, Canada (YYZ) New York, New York John F. Kennedy (JFK) Washington DC Dulles International Airport (IAD) Orlando, Florida (MCO)

 

 

Delta considers charging $2 a bag for curb service

 

Carrier hands off skycap jobs to subsidiary.

 

Delta Air Lines customers who check in at the curb could soon begin paying $2 per bag as part of a broader cost-cutting move by the struggling carrier.

 

Delta said Monday it is handing off its skycap jobs at the Atlanta and Los Angeles airports to a lower-paying subsidiary. Meanwhile, it is also rumored to soon begin charging customers the curbside fee.

 

Airline spokesman Kent Landers said there are “no announcements,” but Delta is considering such a fee.

 

Delta, which is to be in merger talks aimed at Northwest Airlines, is one of the few major carriers that doesn’t charge extra for curbside check-ins.

“We are currently reviewing that policy to ensure we are competitive on cost and service to our peers,” he said. Delta is not considering such fees for check-ins inside the airport, he said.

 

Several competitors, including Northwest, American, United and US Airways, have been charging such fees at some or most of the airports where they fly. A charge of $2 a bag – plus gratuity, if the customer chooses – seems to be the going rate.