Travelers on United Airlines will now have to pay $25 if they check a second bag, unless they’re Star Alliance Silver-level elite frequent flyer members or higher. (That includes the entry-level elite status of Premier on United.) But for an airline that portrays itself as somehow “premium,” this is another in a long series of devaluations and degradations. United has been on a downward slope since it emerged from bankruptcy. This just reaffirms it.
The charge will generate more than $100 million in revenue and cost savings each year, UAL Corp. said. The change takes effect May 5 and applies to tickets purchased on or after Monday.
Soon, United will be indistinguishable from Spirit or Skybus, except with some 747s, an international schedule, and Channel 9 on their audio program.
Thanks to the commenter with the appropriately sarcastic nom-de-plume of “Friendly Skies”, to the ever-vigilant reader J, and to the lovely and talented Kim for sending in this tip.
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February 5th, 2008 at 10:22 am
One consolation for skiers flying United to Colorado or elsewhere in the Rockies this winter is that the surcharge will apply after the ski season is over. Current airline policies count one ski/snowboard bag and one boot bag as one piece of luggage. If United krrpd this up for the 2008-09 ski season, charging 25 bucks for each actual piece, that would add $100 roundtrip, per person, to the cost of a ski trip. Multiply that by two for a couple and even more for a family.
Claire @ http://travel-babel.blogspot.com
February 19th, 2008 at 2:16 pm
I am a Premier Executive Flier with United and I wanted to tell you I wrote to them objecting to the policy and asking what bone head thought this was a good idea. As we know from the strict enforcement of bag weights, people will: a) attempt to shove as much as they can in their carry-ons and muck up the aisles or b) choose to fly another airline.
I put it bluntly to United — although it doesn’t apply to me, it applies to friends and family, and if the difference boils down to me using one of my allowances for a family memebr or both of us flying another airline, I would choose the latter.
Their response? an e mail from a call center empployee in Bangalore saying my concerns would be sent to some un named team at Headquarters.
This follows on United’s increasingly “we don’t care” attitude which even extends into the elite ranks. Do the right thing. Boycott United, intent on nickle and diming ALL of us eventually. Maybe next time a better management team, and a better airline, will emerge from Bankruptcy.