OptionsCLE

Flying back from New Zealand last week I got a nasty surprise at the airport.

I'm a Delta Gold Medallion and was traveling with a non-status friend. We chose VA specifically because my Delta status gives me equivalent benefits to Velocity Gold...Emirates and Qantas, both full-service airlines, were only slightly ($10-50) more expensive. We booked Saver-Lite fares thinking that my Gold allowances meant we didn't need to purchase any of the "extras".

The fatal error was expecting that my friend, traveling in the same PNR as me, would also be entitled to a free bag (as he would when traveling on any airline in the United States.) According to the agents at check in, only I got a free bag...he would have to pay the penalty rate of $130 because Saver Lite doesn't allow you to pre-book luggage. $130 for a bag just barely over the carry on limit (13kg vs 11 for carry on) is absolutely extortionate. The one-way ticket itself cost less than that and substantially less when you back out the high departure taxes passed through to the NZ government. VA has clearly chosen to channel Ryanair by squeezing uninformed pax as tightly as possible.

I know this is ultimately my fault for booking without all the facts, but it took multiple readings of the baggage T&C to find that the first bag fees on a Saver-Lite fare are hidden in the Excess Baggage section of the website. Why would anyone think to look there when they're only planning to bring one bag a person?

Dave Noble

If you have a bag to check in , then most people wouldn't need to check since would know that the saver lite is not the fare to purchase but pay the extra $25 ish for the saver fare that includes baggage up front

I wouldnt say that goiung to baggage -> checked baggage and then looking at excess baggage for international short haul is hidden

The saver lite conditions are quite clear that they do not include any checked baggage. Seems to be simply that you incorrectly assumed that there would be a free allowance - not that you couldn't find the cost for luggage allowance

Mwenenzi

Surprised OptionsCLE got free baggage on that ticket as its carrry on only

Also IIRC carryon is 7kg as is with many (non USA) airlines

Beano

I thought the free checkin bag was only for velocity silver,gold and platinum not for other gold partner airlines ?

thadocta

Guess what, this isn't the Untied States, you only get the benefits of status if you have the status, not if you are flying with someone who has status.

Welcome to the real world.

Dave

OptionsCLE

I used to live in Australia and flew around on Ansett, Qantas...and later Jetstar and Virgin (Blue back then) so I'm plenty familiar what you condescendingly refer to as the "real world". Still, in every other part of the world where I've flown carriers which aren't classified as ULCCs, I've found that status benefits are extended to others in the same PNR. As I said, I erred in assuming that VA followed this standard.

My grudge with Virgin, though, is their appallingly high charge for a checked bag (more than the fare they charge for a PASSENGER to fly in the cabin) and the fact that the information on first bags is buried in the excess baggage section of their website.

vbroucek

Than apparently airlines like LH, SQ, LX must be (according to you only) classified as ULCCs...

Dave Noble

Passenger purchased a saver lite ticket
It is very clear in the description of the fare that it does not include luggage allowance
Passenger turned up with luggage
Passenger got charged the published rate for excess baggage

and somehow this is bad?

Whose fault was it that it was decided to assume that luggage would be granted for free? The airline or the person making the booking?

For a small amount extra , a saver fare could have been purchased that provides a 23Kg checked luggage allowance rather than having to pay the excess baggage rates

If unhappy with the benefits that Delta provides its status holding members, this would seem to be an issue to take up with Delta or complain on the Delta forum

Supersonic Swinger

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...a-stories.html