Apr
21
If you frequently check your bags at curbside when traveling, I thought you might find the MSNBC story Checking your bags curbside? It’ll cost you by Harriet Baskas interesting…
“April. 17, 2008 - Are you looking forward to using this year’s tax rebate for travel? Try not to spend it all on a plane ticket and a hotel. You’ll need some of that cash just to get through the airport, especially if you plan to check luggage at the curb.
And if you’re checking more than one bag at the curb, be sure to save some cash for some aspirin as well. Many airlines will roll out new excess baggage fees on May 5th. But two weeks out, it’s still nearly impossible to determine how travelers will be able to pay those fees at the curb.
The curbside hustle
For many travelers, complimentary curbside baggage checks have been a much-appreciated convenience. Increasingly, though, airlines are charging what Delta has dubbed a “Curb Administrative Fee” for this service.
American Airlines, United Airlines, Northwest Airlines and US Airways, for example, have already instituted a $2 per bag fee (tip not included) for curbside bag check-in service. On April 1 — of all days — Delta upped the ante with its announcement of a $3-per-bag fee for curbside check-in at 11 “test” airports.
This past Tuesday (April 15 — of all days), Delta’s $3 per bag fee spread nationwide, to the approximately 100 domestic airports where the airline offers curbside service.
It’s a fair bet that other airlines will soon follow suit.
You can avoid this curbside check-in fee by going inside the terminal, of course, and standing in line with everyone else to check your bags at a ticket counter. If you do choose curbside check-in though, be sure to stop at the bank before you head to the airport: most services are cash-only operations. And even though it may not be spelled out at the counter, those airline-imposed check-in fees do not include any tip you may want to go directly to the skycap.
Coming soon: more curbside confusion
If you think the curbside check-in procedures are costly and confusing now, just wait until May 5th. That’s when many airlines will begin charging an extra $25 for checking a second piece of luggage. The airlines are clear on the fees, but they’re not quite clear yet on how the fees will be collected at the curb.
Here are a few other tips:
1. Keep checking your airline Web site. As questions come in and the May 5th date gets closer, information is sure to get updated.
2. Once you find the applicable baggage policy on your airline Web site, print it out and keep a copy with your travel papers. It may come in handy at the curb.
3. If you talk to a reservations agent, take notes about what you’re told. If it sounds like the agent is making something up or is unsure of what they’re telling you, ask them to please check with a supervisor. Be prepared to wait. And don’t hesitate to call back again to reconfirm what you’re told.
4. Pack light. Remember, you won’t even need to worry about extra baggage fees or curbside check-in costs if you travel with just a carry-on suitcase. At least for now. There’s no telling what new fees we’ll wake up to tomorrow.”
