AF/KL new rules for luggage [merged]
 

"AMSTELVEEN - KLM en Air France veranderen in navolging van andere maatschappijen het bagagebeleid op vluchten naar de Verenigde Staten. Vanaf 1 november mag maximaal één stuks bagage kosteloos worden meegenomen; voor een tweede koffer of tas brengen KLM en Air France maximaal vijftig euro (in Europa) of vijftig dollar (in de VS) in rekening.


Als passagiers de bagage online inchecken geldt veen korting van twintig procent en betalen zij respectievelijk 40 euro of 40 dollar, aldus KLM. Volgens de maatschappij krijgt ongeveer 14 procent van de transatlantische passagiers in de economy class van KLM en Air France met deze nieuwe maatregel te maken.

Overigens mogen Platinum-, Gold- en Silver-leden van Flying Blue wel twee stuks bagage meenemen in de economy class op deze trajecten. Ook voor kinderen onder de twee jaar en minder validen gelden uitzonderingen.

Met deze maatregel stellen KLM en Air France hun bagagebeleid gelijk aan dat van de Amerikaanse partnermaatschappij Delta. Ook andere grote luchtvaartmaatschappijen, zoals American, Continental, United, US Airways, British Airways en Virgin Atlantic hebben vergelijkbare bagagetoeslagen ingevoerd. "

From November 1st. €50 / US$50, or 40/40 if booked online. Elites exempt.

Source: luchtvaartnieuws.nl

Johan

This is really the end.

Now that makes me proud........all these years of supporting the airline with such an amazing history and here they go, turning themselves into the 'great followers' and losing the chance to be an industry leader!

..and so the decline continues :( announced on the same day they increasing charges too...

I don't speak Dutch but do I guess correctly that this says KLM AND AF? In which case (1) it is even worse, (2) it may be worth moving to the general FB section?

What elites are exempt -- KL, KL/AF, Skyteam, etc.?

Flying Blue elites are exempt.

I foresee bigger carry-ons, and more of them. Overhead space are going to be prime real-estate. ;)

It says BA has similar charges in effect; this statement is incorrect. BA passengers in economy can take two bags up to 23kg free of charge. They really are being cheeky when it comes to the flat rate regardless of currency (sort of like what Apple does).

I don't know about Virgin Atlantic, but I imagine they would never dare attempt something like this unless BA went along (or had already gone ahead).

BA announced a 1-bag policy (with a few odd some exceptions) some time ago:
http://www.britishairways.com/travel...sLink=keyMatch
and
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...-americas.html

We, passengers, are slowly being squeezed like lemons with all kind of surcharges :(. I wonder what will be next?

I am merely speculating here, but this may have originated in the US. After all, all the US majors charge various baggage fees. It started with domestic flights, but why not expand that money maker to int'l flights, right? It is a bit weird to charge pax originating in the US and not the European counter parts. I mean, if there's money to be made and customers to be screwed... why not? I suppose it was only a matter of time before EU airlines followed suit.

My only problem with this is the fact that it's just inconsistent. Back in the day you paid for a ticket and everything was included (food, booze, luggage, etc.) Nowadays there's a clear tendency to itemize. Pax only pay for what they get, with food, drinks, IFE (for domestic flights in the US) being extra. Bug charging for extra weight in the form of baggage fees is shortsighted. What about what people weigh? (I am assuming the argument here is more weight means more fuel being used.) I have flown with many pax who were over 23kg heavier than me. Shouldn't I be allowed another free bag for that reason alone? Unless people are weighed, too (I'm not advocating that!)... this fee is just illogical.

You really don't want to know.

There is so much more from the LCC business model that they can introduce.

Next one is that they will sell you a bus ticket at D6 ;)

The BA baggage policy still permits 2 bags up to 23kg free of charge (as stated in the link you provided to the BA website). The only real change has been decreasing the per bag limit from 32kg to 23kg, but otherwise two bags are still permitted. In first and business class, three bags are permitted.

I don't think you are reading the page right. It's still two bags in economy ("WT") for (a) Brazil, (b) Ghana, (c) Kenya, (d) Nigeria, and (e) direct connections between India and North America + Bermuda.
For all the rest, it's one 23kg bag. All this is effective October 7th; the announcement was made some time last July, I think.