Why charge for checking in luggage at the airport?

Question

Why don't they just raise the ticket prices? I don't think this is the answer to the fuel crisis and cost-covering for airlines... but I'm not sure what is.

How do you feel about being charged for checking in a bag?

Answer 1

It is the airline's way of increasing its revenue. Airlines charge fees only to people with excess baggage. This fee usually encourages the clients to travel light, decreasing the total load an airplane has to carry, which in turn requires lesser fuel consumption.

It the cost of tickets is increased, there will be lesser passengers that will be willing to pay the fare.

I believe that the allowed checked-in luggage weight per person is reasonable.

Add: just found out that an airline does charge for checked baggage. Please see site below.

Answer 2

It has been the nature of most people to find the cheapest fare to fly, aside the specific time they are looking for. Cheap fares are mostly porvided by the Low Cost /No Frills Airlines,or like in USA most full service airlines now practicing the no frills policy on their domestic flights.

The basic nature of low cost airlines is cutting the cost of services by eliminating the previledges usssualy given to full service airlines, such as free meals, bigger seat picth, or even assingned seat number(like in Air Asia ).

The domestic flight or no frills flight associated with the simplest way to fly, just buy and fly, mostly fly out and return on the same day, with no checked baggage. With the raising of the fuel cost, in order to keep the ticket price the same as it used to be, or rising it just for a slight fee, they have to cut down another service cost/priveledges. Paying for the checked in baggage is the new trend for some low cost airlines nowadays.

The service and items price components for airlines or hotel industry is pretty complicated, thats why for example: the price for a Kit Kat bar in the air is alot more expensive than if you buy it on the grocery. The complicated cost policy also apply to baggage handling in general, let me gives you this illustration: when you checked in your baggage, it has to be tagged, the tag is specially made, this is cost, and then it has to be printed,this is cost for the electricity used and the tint for printing, and then the conveyor belt used both on the departing airport and the destination airport needs electricity, this is cost, the airlines should pay to the authorities of two airports for this, and then the baggage handler drive the bags to the aircraft, there are cost for buying/ renting the car and trolley and labour cost for the people who drive the car and put the baggage into the aircraft( this is also times 2 , for both the crews on the departure airport and the crews on the destination airport) and finally the more weight an aircraft bring,, the more power it should generate to take off and fly, so this means more fuel needed.

On full service airlines all of this cost has been included in the ticket price, and most of the passengers uses the facilities/previledges provided. While in Low Cost/ no Frills airlines, mostly do not use or do not need the previledges. So charging the cost on every ticket would be considered as not fair for those who are not using the facilities, and as you can see this could really cut ticket price.   Well I hope this could give you, the picture of what really happening out there. I am not a pro on paying checked in baggage( no one on earth is happy to loose a previledge right), but I could understand the reason behind the policy.

Answer 3

AMERICAN AIRLINES STARTED THIS RIDICULUOS CHARGE, SO MANY AIRLINES ARE GOING TO DO IT, I GUESS THEY THINK THAT IF THEY DONT RAISE THE AIRFARE, PEOPLE WILL KEEP FLYING, DUMB THINKINING, BUT DO THEY ASK NO, DO THEY MAKE A STUDY WHAT IS BETTER, I AM DOMED WHEN I TRAVEL I GO FOR 1 DAYS, SO I TAKE TWO PIECES, COME BACK WITH ONE MORE SO IAM SCRWED, I RATHER PAY FOR MORE A TICKET THAN TRAVEL WITHOUT MY MY LUGAGE, I  AM WITH YOU

Answer 4

The bottom line is people don't want to pay higher prices, nor can the people afford higher airfare prices.  However, due to the increase in gas prices for the airlines, they need extra income.  This is a way for them to try to NOT raise prices higher than they already have, but still make a little more money off of those who feel it's necessary to bring their WHOLE house with them when they travel!