Hopefully the plan will de-rail if no one else follows; DL has stated they will not follow.
Originally Posted by
Reindeerflame
There's nothing wrong with charging for baggage.
They should also think about charging for carry-on items.
Another concept would be to add a weight fee, so that the combined weight of the passenger and all items checked or carried on board is captured.
I do believe, if the airlines are going to charge for luggage, that they should keep a "free" allowance for items such as liquids, but then base the charge on weight.
i.e. 1st bag upto 20 lbs free. Anything about 20 lbs will attract a per pound fee.
On the other side of the coin, it is rare that I check luggage. I manage with a roll-a-board and a backpack (made specifically for laptop), despite the BS liquid rules. Roll-a-board fits above (wheels in first) and backpack goes under the seat.
The heavier a plane is, the more it costs to operate. The person who uses their full luggage allotment at the max weight (i.e. 49.5 lbs a bag) uses more resources and costs more. Combine that by 50% of the passengers on a plane, and that is a lot of weight being carried that the other 50% isn't carrying.
I do believe there are other approaches airlines can use .. and overall, I don't see a problem with a pay for what you use concept .. but until the TSA does away with the liquid farce, pax should at least be able to pack a small, light-weight bag for liquids & such for free (included in the price of the ticket).