Monking

I just read this article here on Flyertalk http://www.flyertalk.com/articles/ba...eckpoints.html
and they are spot on what I have always thought.

What do you all think? I did not see any similar discussion on this, hopefully I am not duplicating. By waiving off the baggage fees, more people would be encouraged to check their bags to avoid TSA checkpoint hassles, you reduce a lot of wait times at check points by not taking out everything and sending it through a scanner, boarding becomes quicker with everyone just going to their seat instead of scrambling to find space in the overhead bins, no stress if you are in Zone 100 wondering if you can find space to keep your bag and if not, have to squeeze it under your seat and have no space to "stretch" your legs! Airlines anyway gate check many bags and that adds up to more time!

Most of the Airlines in Asia offer a free checked in bag up to 15kgs and some up to 20kgs. The airlines here in the US started charging for bags citing high oil prices. Now the prices are low, why shouldn't they waive the fees?

milepig

It's a huge revenue generator. End of story.

jkhuggins

Unless the revenue model changes.

Back in ancient times, when telephone service was new, a household had to pay extra in order to have their name and number listed in public phone directories. These days, a household has to pay extra in order to have their name and number withheld from public phone directories. Somewhere along the way, the revenue model shifted, even though nothing changed about the costs incurred in (not) providing listing services.

I could easily see a day when airlines charge for each carry-on item --- including personal items --- and offer checked baggage for free. If an airline decides that it makes more financial sense to switch models, it'll do so.

guflyer

Some discount carriers charge more for the carry on bag (excluding the personal item) than they do for checked bags. I actually think that this is a more efficient model but that it would not work as well for legacy carriers as it would upset many of their business customers. However, the legacy carriers have started to do a lot of things that upset their business customers so perhaps this may be in the future (especially as the legacy carriers are now starting to offer bare bones fares to compete with discount carriers).

I have doubts that waived luggage fees would have a real impact on checkpoint lines. One of the viral videos indicating long lines from last week took place at MDW where Southwest is by far the dominant carrier. Southwest does not charge for checked luggage and the mess still occurred, so I see proposals as just a way to pass the blame to someone else.

DTWflyer

I'd venture to guess it may reduce carry-ons by 5% at best on most flights and have minimal impact in the grand scheme of things. Maybe reduce wait times by 1% at best.

People are still going to use carry-ons due to perceived risk of delays, misconnects, lost luggage, or not wanting to wait at bag claims. Business travelers aren't going to switch. It won't reduce the number of soft bags, back packs, laptop bags, etc going through the checkpoints. Maybe a few rollerbags here or there but these don't tend to be the ones causing the huge back-ups and secondary searches.

Its all the junk people through in backpacks and laptop bags, or stuff that people wouldn't be putting in checked luggage anyways. Like jars of peanut butter, frosted cupcake, 22 oz shampoo bottles, a forgotten about water bottle, a knee brace. a USB adaptor, etc.

Plus its the fact that everyone with electronics, shoes, or liquids still needs 2 bins and the back and all the crap they have to take off or out of their pockets. Plus they still have to queue up at the body scanners anyways which have a finite throughput per hour anyways.

Plus, people have been so conditioned now that its not could to result in a short term behavior change.

jco613

when you see the lines at MDW being so insane and the airline that serves 95% of the passengers at that airport allows you to check 2 bags for FREE, I think that crushes this argument.

Often1

Nobody has yet advanced any good data suggesting that excessive carryon luggage is causing longer lines at checkpoints. Moreover, the rules for luggage haven't substantially changed on any of the majors in several years.

Bag fees are worth several $Billion/year. So, dropping those fees will have a significant impact on fares, not something most really want to see.

Mr. Vker

I heard Dick Durbin say this on the NBC Nightly news last night. I don't often do this, but I posted on his FB page and tweeted to him paraphrased below.

"I certainly don't like to pay baggage fees, however we pay a security fee (recently raised) for TSA security screening services with our ticket purchase. Will you be waiving TSA fees as they are no longer able to screen effectively?"

No response.

catocony

Lines are longer because there seem to be fewer scanners in operation. Now that I don't get free Pre-Check I go downstairs at IAD. Even at rush hour - 4:00 PM or so in the afternoon, they only have 4 or so lines open. That's less than half capacity.

The lines are longer because TSA is making them longer. There hasn't been a sudden upswing in passengers or anything. The checked bag fees have been around for years. This is all TSA.

chollie

+100000

Yes! I am so sick of the lame 'too many bags' excuse. Poor little TSOs - they only way they can pass their Red Team tests is if pax stop bringing things through the checkpoint.

I've got news for them - 1) WN proves, clearly and undeniably, that if there are no baggage fees, TSA is still going to complain they have too much work to do and 2) the problem isn't too many bags, it's too many unsupervised TSOs distracted by their cellphones and personal conversations.

telabadmanwot

Its a beautifully balanced system. And when fast track and Q jumping benefits can be offered to passengers, while generating double revenue (from baggage fees and to pay to skip the security Q) why would the model change.

Propose a better model (that means more money for the Airport/Airline) and it will quickly be adopted. Getting rid of a huge revenue stream isnt going to help anybody (Ryanair used to derive 40% of its revenue from ancillary costs) All it will result in, is higher base fares

BSBD

I could see Congress getting involved and forcing the airlines to stop collecting checked bag fees, followed by TSA issuing a partial ban on carry on luggage - only one small bag allowed. That would go a long way toward solving TSA's carry on luggage screening issues.

There is precedent for TSA to implement a ban.

Boggie Dog

Bingo!!@:-)@:-)

chollie

If that happens (carry-on restricted to one bag), I can also see huge backlogs of checked bags missing flights.

I don't believe for a second that it will improve TSA's Red Team scores. People will continue to put 'problem' items like sno-globes, nitro pills, electronics/cords/chargers, CPAPs, bottles of water and cupcakes in their carry-ons, no matter how small. Indeed, we'd probably see a new round of 'E-vest' like auxiliary carry-ons to circumvent the TSA restrictions.

chollie

Shoe and LGA removal are two of the biggest causes of slowdowns. That's part of the reason Pre lanes potentially move so much faster - limited disrobing and unpacking. Forcing people to check more bags isn't going to change this.