Spirit Airlines to charge up to $45 for carry on hand luggage

[djfuzz]

Okay, now this is getting ridiculous:

Spirit Airlines to charge for carry-on bags - Apr. 6, 2010

Spirit Airlines will soon be the first of the major U.S. airlines to charge passengers to carry on their luggage.

Beginning in August, the carrier will slap on an additional fee of up to $45 for any bags placed in overhead bins, the carrier said Tuesday.

Where does it end? A 'bums on seats' surcharge for actually using a ticket you've booked?

Seriously, I can't believe the market hasn't pushed back hard enough on some of these insane LCC ideas.

 

[samh004]

Another one to cross out on the potential list, seems ridiculous, you travel light so you don’t have to pay to check-in baggage, and then you get stung because you have a laptop or a backpack.

Airline loyalty and alliances are going to be very big reasons to choose a carrier soon.

 

[kamchatsky]

Another one to cross out on the potential list, seems ridiculous, you travel light so you don’t have to pay to check-in baggage, and then you get stung because you have a laptop or a backpack.

Airline loyalty and alliances are going to be very big reasons to choose a carrier soon.

Sooner or later they will charge for clothes worn, given that everyone will go up to the plane with huge trenchecoats with massive pockets stuffed with luggage goods. :shock:

 

[SeaWolf]

I don't really like this idea at all, but in Spirit's defence, they aren't charging you for using the underseat storage and they're cutting the cost of checking in luggage.

My guess it that this has a lot to do with 'barely legal' roll-aboard luggage that often gets crammed into the overhead storage these days. They've become very popular and many, many people are taking them onto aircraft, meaning that those of us that are only taking small bags onto the aircraft often can't find space overhead and end up standing around while the passengers in front of us struggle to lift their roll-aboards up into the overhead or struggle to carry them up and down the stair onto the aircraft. People also push the limits by taking a roll-aboard AND a laptop bag with them as well. It makes getting on and off the plane that much slower.

Of course, the airlines only have themselves to blame really. The recent explosion in carry on luggage is a direct result of them charging for checked luggage.

 

[JohnK]

This has now gone beyond ridiculous.

Another carrier on the "never to be flown intentionally" list....

 

[moa999]

And do they give you a voucher when someones bag takes away half your leg room ??

 

[djfuzz]

And do they give you a voucher when someones bag takes away half your leg room ??

No - they slap you with a 'foot rest' surcharge!

 

[straitman]

Here is another version of the story.

Spirit Airlines to charge up to $45 for carry on hand luggage.

 

[notzac]

Also: BlueTales

 

[dajop]

From the Spirit Airlines release:

In addition to lowering fares even further, this will reduce the number of carry-on bags, which will improve inflight safety and efficiency by speeding up the boarding and deplaning process

Can't help but think there's an element in truth of this, I find the boarding/deplaning times in the US just plain annoying, and it can't be very efficient to take 20 mins to board a 110 seat plane, and some of this must be due to the kitchen sinks people carry on board planes, and trying to plumb those same sinks into the overhead locker. Boarding short domestic flights 35 mins prior to departure is virtually unheard of in Australia, indeed there' a good chance that people will be still disembarking from the previous flight at the point, but in the US it is not uncommon.

 

[codash1099]

This is being met with "shock horror" treatment by the TV news programs over here in the US.

I think that Spirit's motives may be pure, but surely it would be best to enforce carry-on limits rather than use the sledgehammer by applying a fee that in many cases is higher than the fare.

Better PR needed.

 

[FlyboyAl]

I agree with codash - the local news services are really hammering them for their decision. I really do not think they have thought through how they have promoted this stupid idea.

 

[djfuzz]

I agree with codash - the local news services are really hammering them for their decision. I really do not think they have thought through how they have promoted this stupid idea.

You would think, if this were a genuine unbundling of costs, that they would be trumpeting their newly lowered fares as the primary benefit, and noting the carry-on costs as an aside.

The fact that they are not suggests that this is not at all an unbundling of costs, but an additional levy to continue to milk their customers without providing any corresponding increase in service.

 

[samh004]

I don't really like this idea at all, but in Spirit's defence, they aren't charging you for using the underseat storage and they're cutting the cost of checking in luggage.

Are you sure they wouldn’t class carrying a bag onto the a/c but putting it under the seat in front as the same thing?

And what happens if you sit in the first row, you have more legroom but less baggage rights?

My guess it that this has a lot to do with 'barely legal' roll-aboard luggage that often gets crammed into the overhead storage these days. They've become very popular and many, many people are taking them onto aircraft, meaning that those of us that are only taking small bags onto the aircraft often can't find space overhead and end up standing around while the passengers in front of us struggle to lift their roll-aboards up into the overhead or struggle to carry them up and down the stair onto the aircraft. People also push the limits by taking a roll-aboard AND a laptop bag with them as well. It makes getting on and off the plane that much slower.

Many years ago my parents bought us all a roll aboard bag, and when we first flew with them they were the right size to be stowed overhead, then gradually they became the wrong size, now they always have to be checked-in, yet the overhead lockers get bigger.

Of course, the airlines only have themselves to blame really. The recent explosion in carry on luggage is a direct result of them charging for checked luggage.

I think they can blame Boeing and Airbus too, their newer planes all have bigger, deeper, overhead stowage spaces. What’s that message saying? Carry more on?

 

[FlyboyAl]

CBS news tonite quoted that Ryanair are installing pay as you use restrooms!
The CEO of Spirit is trying to get across that fares are lower due to the price rise for carry on, but the media are ignoring him and centering on the cost of the carry on bags.
Ah.......The Media... you have to love 'em sometimes, or at least hate them all the time!!!

 

[Flashback]

What's stopping you from bringing it on, saying it will be at your feet ; then putting it overhead? Extra policing needed, so time wasted. No overall gain...

 

[dajop]

What's stopping you from bringing it on, saying it will be at your feet ; then putting it overhead?...

Nothing but I think that's the whole point. Gate policing for size and then there'll plenty of o/h locker space to go around for everyone to put their much smaller luggage in...

 

[samh004]

Maybe the overhead bins should be coin operated… yes…. 45 coins

 

[straitman]

Maybe the overhead bins should be coin operated… yes…. 45 coins

Nah.

It would be $45 one dollar notes :!:

Or free to put it in and pay to get it out. :mrgreen:

 

[samh004]

Nah.

It would be $45 one dollar notes :!:

Or free to put it in and pay to get it out. :mrgreen:

I thought you could get US$1 coins, they’re just not used that often?

I suppose you could use 180 quarters