there's a long thread about this in the CO forum. With tickets purchased before Feb 11, Skyteam Elites are exempt from bag fees no matter when they fly. For tickets purchased after Feb 11, Sky Team Elites are subject to bag fees. These will be waived only if you are upgraded or buy full fare tickets.
You bought in Jan 09; you are exempt from the fee. The change at co.com was rolled out the week of Feb 6, but the website and the policy implementation didn't jibe until sometime around Feb 11. In the interim, things got really screwy. For example, we flew Feb 6 and got nailed with the fee, even though as of Feb 11 co.com said the fee only applied to tickets purchased after 2/11.
If you get hit with the fee, a simple email to CO Cares will get you in touch with a real person who can undo the fee.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/conti...l#post11357039