Baggage fee work around
 

I haven't traveled since the airlines started charging baggage fees, but have a trip scheduled soon.

I was thinking about a way to get around some of the baggage fees. If I "gate checked" my bag would I still get charged? It would mean that I would have to bring my suitcase through security, and assume that the TSA doesn't do a bag count or weigh it. At the gate I would be told I have too many bags or my bag was too big/heavy for the cabin and they would put it with the rest of the baggage.

Any hitch in this plan?

TSA has started counting.

some airlines may be charging for gate checked bags

Other than that - it should work fine ;)

Also, some airlines are posting employees or contract security staff at the TSA lines (esp. elite lines or where the security lines feed one airline) to catch the oversize or excessive bags for carryon.

wear lots of clothes. i think it is called layering

What exactly is it that you are trying to avoid getting checked?
Are you talking about a 22" rollaboard or are you talking about a 29" duffel?

Probably no one else has thought of this.

Wow, thanks Malt, we never thought of it. I'm glad you posted this workaround as now we'll start imposing a gate check surcharge on top of the checked bag fee. We've calculated that it will add $2 million extra in revenue at a loss of only $67 million in customer good will which is an excellent trade off.

Again, thank you for the great idea,

The airlines
:rolleyes:

I'd guess that it would work pretty well at places like DEN where all of the screening is centralized and you could be flying on any one of a large number of airlines.

I saw someone try this on DL at BOS. He had a 22" (or so it appeared) rollaboard that he asked the GA if he could check. The GA looked up his record and told him that since he had already checked a bag, it would cost him $25 to check a second one.

In short, I think the airlines are on to this; I would imagine the only time gate-checking wouldn't result in a fee is when there's no overhead space left and the bag needs to be checked.

I know from experience that Airtran has always charged to gate-check ever since the 2nd bag fee was implemented.