Well they will never get a dime from me as I will never check in another bag.
Me, either! I've been flying forever and I have never, ever checked a 2nd bag domestically or internationally, even when I spent summers studying in France and Costa Rica.
While I am against fees, this seems like one that will cause "minimal damage."
Nothing inappropriate about disputing a fee for faulty service paid for with a credit card where the service provider didn't deliver the service as prominently marketed. If someone pays for a service to transport their bags with them on the same flight as they fly and that service is not rendered properly, then a dispute of the charge with the credit card company is an option to consider for those who feel they were sold a lemon.
Good luck proving a delayed bag is a failure to provide service is contracted. The credit card company will laugh at you.
Because most current DL-NW elites won't be exempted from these fees forever if the fees applicable to general passengers end up not being pulled by DL management.
First and second bag fees have not been applied to elites and there is nothing to indicate they will be applied in the future. Claiming the opposite is hearsay and speculation. Of course, we shouldn't be suprised by this, since you have a pattern of this type of wild, unsubstantiated claims.
How does FCBA allow the customer to sidestep the issue of paying the disputed fee? You'll receive a provisional credit, but you will pay it unless the dispute is concluded in your favor.
Based on the airlines' accounting and information systems, it is quite simple to validate whether a fee was validly applied. Promoting the dispute of fees for delayed bags is absurd and an abuse of the "system."
FCBA sidesteps the whole idea of getting the customer service agent to issue the credit in the first place. Do it by the book, and in writing.
As far as abusing the system, we're not talking about disputing any and all fees. We're talking about disputing fees charged and the bag is lost. Call it involuntary separation, loss of visibility, or failure to perform. Unless DL clearly discloses some sort of service lever (or lack there of) for baggage, they it's perfectly acceptable to dispute.
However, with WN, any change in flights "may" result in a fare increase. Therefore, if you need to change you flight, WN can charge the difference between the booked class, and the fully refundable class which is a very large differential. For example, from PVD-BWI, the ticket (14 day purchase), can be as low as $39. However, if you need to change that flight, WN can charge the difference between the old fare and the new (fully refundable) fare, which sometimes is $200. Therefore $200 - $39 = $161, and if enough people do this, then they don't need to charge baggage fees as if the standard fee is $20/bag, then 8 fees would be waived just by that change.
Unlike DL/US/UA which will charge you $200 up front and add the fare difference which may be much higher than the $161 you mentioned above.
WN made it by focusing on a business model and not by listening to analysts, and I hope for their shareholders that they will stay on this course.
DLP
__________________
Always look for the bright side, the dark side will take care of itself.
Programs: WN CP, A-List; CO Plats; NW Golds (ex Plats); Hilton Diamond; Marriott Silver; Club Cholula™ Plat
Posts: 19,284
Quote:
Originally Posted by GMill
+1
They are losing money. They have to generate revenue from somewhere.
I realize this is kind of radical, but maybe they could offer a quality product at an attractive price that suffient numbers of people would pay, thereby enabling the airline to make a profit without trying to shake every last nickel & dime out of its customers.
As far as abusing the system, we're not talking about disputing any and all fees. We're talking about disputing fees charged and the bag is lost. Call it involuntary separation, loss of visibility, or failure to perform. Unless DL clearly discloses some sort of service lever (or lack there of) for baggage, they it's perfectly acceptable to dispute.
As previously established, there isn't a need to dispute the fee when the bag is lost since it will be refunded. Discussing disputing charges leads to a conclusion there is a going to be a concerted effort to use that process to recover fees when delivered services meet contractual standards but fall short of expectations.
I realize this is kind of radical, but maybe they could offer a quality product at an attractive price that suffient numbers of people would pay, thereby enabling the airline to make a profit which trying to shake every last nickel & dime out of its customers.
If the customers were willing to pay a price that covered the cost of providing the product, this wouldn't be a moot point.
I realize this is kind of radical, but maybe they could offer a quality product at an attractive price that suffient numbers of people would pay, thereby enabling the airline to make a profit which trying to shake every last nickel & dime out of its customers.
As I've said previously, the vast majority of people abandon "quality product" the second the price ticks down fifty cents. We do this to ourselves.
__________________
Brian/\/\ You really should not come to Denver. Cold here. And snowy. And cold. Really, just stay away.
This move makes no sense. People in Ghana are trying to boycot Delta because it is trying to enforce the current bagage policy.
I expect a stronger response in Europe and the US where the customer has more options and better access to information.
If DL is lucky the initial pushback will be strong enough to convince its management to sent this initiative the same way UA's BOB went.
If they are unlucky, they will see increaased revenues this year, and a long term struggle to rebuild their reputation while their yields suffer.
__________________
Always look for the bright side, the dark side will take care of itself.
Good luck proving a delayed bag is a failure to provide service is contracted. The credit card company will laugh at you.
Your wish did not come true -- the credit card company did not laugh at us and most probably will not when disputing an airline fee charged for a service that the airline failed to provide despite levying a special fee for the specified service.
__________________
This game is not as much fun as it used to be: 2008/2009 Frequent Flyer Program Fleecing Award goes to Delta Airlines
If the customers were willing to pay a price that covered the cost of providing the product, this wouldn't be a moot point.
Like DL management is known to do, your post blames DL's customers for the problems of DL's own making. Which DL customers forced DL to sell tickets below the cost of providing the product? Mythical customers.
__________________
This game is not as much fun as it used to be: 2008/2009 Frequent Flyer Program Fleecing Award goes to Delta Airlines
If the customers were willing to pay a price that covered the cost of providing the product, this wouldn't be a moot point.
Baggage fees are about consumers choosing the lowest fare on the list. If the listed price included bag fees there would be no reason to nickle and dime. One airline got the bright idea about the bags. That makes it appear they are cheaper than the other guy, the race to the bottom ensues.
Best in Class 
