GUWonder

So with Norwegian going to start charging for cabin baggage on a bunch of its ticketed fares, how long until SAS goes down the same route of charging for cabin baggage on some ticketed fares?

CPH-Flyer

I doubt they will.

Is there any *A, OW, or ST carrier doing that already? While SK are quite cheap in many ways, they have rarely been the first mover among the legacy carriers. They were quite early in the EU legacy BOB, if not even first. But not in the global legacy BOB.

GUWonder

Much the same kind of response was said when it came to charging for checked-in luggage and for eliminating included meal service from ticketed fares: things like “it may be the LCC way but the traditional carriers in major international alliances won’t do it”; and “it may be done on short-haul but it won’t happen on long-haul”. And yet we now have SAS charging for even the first standard-sized suitcase checked in on SK long-haul flights and with SAS having a history of charging for even soft drinks and water..

“Never say never” when it comes to SAS joining in on the ways of LCCs in some ways.

CPH-Flyer

Indeed SK jumped on charging for checked luggage. Eventually. They were far from the first of the legacies to do it. LH group, Air NZ, BA, and the US3 beat them to it by quite a bit of time. SK stuck to their guns for a long while. It is true that they were one of the few to even charge for water when the introduced BOB, though they back tracked there. A back track over which BA has yet to come to their senses.

I don't rule it out, I just say wait to see it from more legacies first. Ryanair has been doing this for a while, Easyjet are also quite strict on carry on for some fares. Norwegian is actually late to the game here. I don't think SK is going to move until you have seen it appear on other legacies first. Another point is that SK would probably want to understand the level of backlash that Norwegian will be facing.

GUWonder

SAS can’t be first, but I would be very surprised if SAS doesn’t eventually change to mimic this Norwegian kind of move to further reduce free cabin baggage allowance and try to make money from such move. Airlines like SAS are willing lemmings to copy the way of LCCs. SAS’s convergence with LCCs on this too is more likely than not, over the longer term at least. This expectation of mine most certainly doesn’t forego the possibility of convergence in light of regulatory regimes applicable at the time.

CPH-Flyer

The question is also, what does Norwegian do with the pricing with this new initiative. In Norwegian's current situation I doubt this will lead to lower base pricing, just additional fees being added. Which will not incentivise SK to follow the lead.

I'll wager a bottle of champagne on SK not having followed Norwegian's lead within 12 months of this kicking off with DY.

GUWonder

Forbes has since put out an article now on this situation with Norwegian and cabin baggage charges. Much akin to what was stated there, I expect this will also turn out to be a case of airlines charging customers more while providing little to no more for the customers' money than they used to do so as part of even the lowest priced fares. DY's fares have been rising within the last twelve months, and I doubt that DY are going to get cheaper for most of its customers with this move.

Norwegian raising or not raising ticket fare prices doesn't provide an incentive (nor disincentive) to SK eventually converging on this too with DY.

I have no expectation of SK converging with DY on this before February of 2021, but I also have no expectation of SK not starting this before February 2025 is over.

JR67

I was pricing UA domestic flights recently and they have fares that charge for carry-on luggage. Shocked the heck out of me, but I guess we should all get used to it.

CPH-Flyer

Ah yes, the wonders of basic economy....

GUWonder

UA indeed does have that policy for “Basic Economy” fares domestically.

I just flew UA domestically this week, and I didn’t see any policing of cabin baggage based on boarding group or anything else more than I used to see a decade ago too. The exception list for BE cabin baggage restriction includes the following::

Maybe some people should carry a diaper or two in their roller bags and claim it to be a diaper bag and thus not subject to the BE cabin baggage restriction.

As a Star Gold and as someone who can always claim that I’ve been traveling across the Atlantic Ocean, I guess I don’t need to worry about this unwelcome restriction hitting me.

CPH-Flyer

I had to double check the rules.

They do indeed suspend the carry on restriction for status members. But boarding group 5 can't bring a full sized carry on, they can't even pay to bring it in to the cabin. If they bring it to the gate, they will be.charged the check in fee, plus a gate check fee, and the piece will be send to the hold.

CPH-Flyer

The diaper experiment could be a fun one to try some day when I am in the US. But since I currently don't own a full sized carry on, I'd need to go shopping to be able to complete the experiment.

Star Gold to the rescue, AA also suspends most of their BE restrictions for status. Though to be honest, the cash uplift is usually rather limited.

GUWonder

For some reason I haven’t seen UA enforce that as of late. I have heard about it being enforced before and know others see it still — which is why I said SK can’t be first on this — but getting the flights out on time may be more of a priority at times.

Welcome to SAS’s future of converging with Norwegian’s LCC ways.

CPH-Flyer

That is not just because you don't mingle with the commoners in group 5?

I have not flown UA domestic for a while, but last I noticed a UA boarding being prepared they seemed to be quite observant on carry on for people lining up in the group 5 pen.

SK's problem would be that the 1 to 2 staff members they have in the gate for a scandi or euro departure have no chance of enforcement. They would need to increase staffing, which would probably increase cost more than revenue..

GUWonder

Maybe we can rename this the DiaperBonus Forum Kafe and then share tips on frequent diaper purchase and use bonuses.

I always wanted to discuss the history of people smuggling diapers out of Norway and selling Norwegian diapers in the Baltic and other EU states sort of east of Denmark.