Charge for Carry-on Bags Instead of Checked Bags?
With the recent new round of increases for checked luggage fees, I return to a question asked by flight attendants: Why not charge for carry-on bags instead of checked bags?
I have no doubt the airlines would love to also charge for carry-ons rather than one versus the other. Nevertheless, the checked bag fee has been a huge revenue source for the legacy airlines so it will unlikely go anywhere anytime soon.
From the flight attendant’s side, here is the problem: More people than ever are bringing carry-ons aboard the plane. Many passengers max out with two and it is common they want to put both of them in the overhead compartments. Despite pleas that they put smaller bags under the seat, few passengers listen to this part.
Moreover, many of the carry-on bags are oversized, sometimes well beyond the 22″ limit which means going into the bins sideways. At some point, there is simply not enough room to accommodate everything. Usually the last people to board are out of luck and need to have their bags checked. This just adds to the boarding time and the attendant’s headaches as they try to get under way.
Under the present system, passengers still see this as a win. Even if their bag needs to be checked due to no overhead space, there is usually no fee. All they have to do is get to the gate with their oversize bags and they can get their bags checked for free. Read more of this article »
