US Airways follows United on baggage policy

[Dissent Equals Patriotism]

A shift manager told me today that only 2% of our passengers check a 2nd bag. Anyone know how many passengers we carried last year? I wonder how much of a revenue maker this will be or will it be one more service we offer to piss off our customers?

As for the effect on the ramp; it may be a few less bags, but those bags will be maxed out to the 50lbs limit.

Agent “Vâ€￾

 

[Travelpro72]

All I have to say is the One bag and one personal item is NOT, NOT, NOT enforced ANYWHERE in our system. I have seen many a time people coming on the a/c with a roller board and a rolling "personal" item. The personal item is about 5 inches shorter than their roller board. They better start enforcing the baggage policy. I DO NOT move bags around overheads. Once they are up there they stay there or I'll shimmy them around. I don't lift or carry bags around the cabin. This can seriously delay the boarding so agents beware. This can turn nasty if not monitored.

I think the reason US followed first is they are looking at ANY way to rake in some extra cash. We need to cover the fuel and they certainly couldn't get creative on their own to an extent that it mattered.

 

[playboyflyer]

Absolutely...another thing to prove that US Airways is not industry leading but a laggard.

this WILL cause DELAYS!!!!. but Robert Isom gets a bigger bonus for getting fewer bags lost... Now that he has seen we are the best on-time of all airlines in December......number crunchers playing games for their own benefit....

 

[john john]

Just wait for the announcement coming next week:

In the event of sudden loss of cabin pressure an emergency oxygen mask will drop down. This service is complimentary in first class, but all other pax will pay a surcharge of $25 for their oxygen. Exact change is appreciated.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSJwzYiB_Pc

 

[Hey.. Chill Out]

Now Gaucho99,

You'd best be careful or the "Negativity Police" in Tempe will chastize you for daring to be a free thinker. God forbid you'd have an actual thought in your head not blessed by the arbiter of positivity. Perhaps Mrs Vice President will e-mail you personally as she has me.

One of these days, I'm going to publish a book of e-mails I've gotten from US executives. Working Title is "Stupid is as stupid does"

Do it, I'm sure it will be a best seller.

 

[Hadenough]

I see a couple of problems with this policy.

The bags checked will get bigger and heavier. It is not uncommon to see bags now regularly weighing 50 to 90 pounds and more than 4 feet across. I have to give credit to the Customer Service Agents at the ticket counters for placing heavy tags on these bags and putting the weight on the tag. The warning that I am getting is greatly appreciated.

The question was raised "If the bag is not recieved does the pax get their money back". What if they recieve only one of two or more checked? Does the refund apply only to the one they were actually charged for or to any that were checked and not recieved?

Whats to stop them from taking the "second" to the gate and checking it on the jetway? Will the gate agents have to apply the charge? Will that charge be credit card only?

What about the ones they carry on and then come to find out there is no more room in the overheads? Will the F/A have to apply the charge?

I do not think this was thought through very well. It is going to cause delays and other problems and I think this policy will be short lived. It sounds like something a pencil pusher would come up with and will not work in the real world.

Just my thoughts on this policy. I only have to lift and stack this stuff in a limited amount of space.

 

[SolidCactus]

FYI, this is the letter I got informing me of the change... I'm sure you will all get a kick out of it... It doesnt effect me. I never NEVER check bags. I'd rather UPS or Fedex my stuff to the hotel I stay at. It at least always gets there, and not the day before I'm going home...

Today, US Airways announced a change to our baggage policy. Beginning May 5, 2008, we’ll charge $25 for a second checked bag. As a Preferred member, you and anyone traveling on the same reservation, are exempt from the fee. We value our most frequent flyers, and we want to continue to make your travels as easy as possible.

Dividend Miles Preferred members will continue to enjoy being Preferred…for lots of reasons:

The most generous upgrade window in the industry
Earning and maintaining status with segments or miles
Silver or Gold status with Star Alliance partners
Award travel for as low as 25,000 miles
Priority standby, security lanes, check-in and boarding
Unlimited complimentary upgrades (within the continental U.S., Alaska, Mexico, the Caribbean & Latin America)
No standby fees
No fees for checking your second bag
We'll continue to provide our best level of service and exclusive benefits to our most frequent flyers. We appreciate your continued loyalty.

Sincerely,
Fernand Fernandez
Director, Marketing Programs

 

[SolidCactus]

Is US lining its policies and procedures up with UA's in the wake of a possible merger with them? Just thinking out loud.

Oh boy, that would be one kick @ss airline! From a customer's perspective, I think your guys at the sandcastle actually operate a better airline...

 

[US1YFARE]

Oh boy, that would be one kick @ss airline! From a customer's perspective, I think your guys at the sandcastle actually operate a better airline...

Are you on crack? UA treats their premium customers much better than this craphole airline. if you mean that they don't give away upgrades, ok, but they have a first class product worth paying for. And let's not forget E+ and FC on some RJs.

 

[SolidCactus]

Are you on crack? UA treats their premium customers much better than this craphole airline. if you mean that they don't give away upgrades, ok, but they have a first class product worth paying for. And let's not forget E+ and FC on some RJs.

Well, my comments of UA is probably a bit unfair, because I have to connect on United Express, and it is really the combination of United Express and ORD that has caused me such aggrivation. I also had a terrible experience with United at LAX, they had like one ticket agent running twenty kiosks. It was the most rediculous thing I had ever seen. I asked if it was always like this, and the agent was so frazzled, she was like, YES - I'm not kidding, the line was all the way out onto the street.

The only time I did FC was on their JFK/SFO on the PS (Premium Service flight - and that IS SERIOUSLY FIRST CLASS! That was worth every penny! Glasswear, lay flat seats, the flight attendant even tucked me in when I fell asleep. I will give credit there... Absolute first class experience.

Economy plus is a real good deal too.

I guess ORD is United's PHL. Its pretty hard to have a good experience there...

 

[US1YFARE]

Well, my comments of UA is probably a bit unfair,

Thank you. US does nothing that is the BEST in the industry except for being the WORST at everything. Some people will say well I always get upgraded on US...but, let's face it, the product sucks so who cares. I flew AA today PHL- MIA and it was a snack flight. It was ridiculous, yes, ridiculous, how much food they served. It beat US's transcon meal flights by a mile. Oh, and a very nice FA gave me a backrub. 🙂. Who says AA FA's are the sky nazi's???

 

[SolidCactus]

Thank you. US does nothing that is the BEST in the industry except for being the WORST at everything. Some people will say well I always get upgraded on US...but, let's face it, the product sucks so who cares. I flew AA today PHL- MIA and it was a snack flight. It was ridiculous, yes, ridiculous, how much food they served. It beat US's transcon meal flights by a mile. Oh, and a very nice FA gave me a backrub. 🙂. Who says AA FA's are the sky nazi's???

Well, wish me luck this week. I have CO from EWR to PBI, FC going down, coach home, and then AVP/LAS via CLT on US. I have FC going, but I didn't get my upgrade notification yet for the return... I hope I get it... I don't want to be in coach for that flight...

 

[JS]

I don't understand why everyone is singing the praises of UA. I used to fly UA quite a lot but their customer service is awful. UA and US should merge; they both suck.

When things go well, E+ is very nice. But when they slam the doors 10 minutes early, 4 minutes before I arrive, running to the gate from a late inbound flight, I don't appreciate them telling me I have to sit in DEN for 24 hours. I also don't appreciate it when I rent a car at my expense to reach my destination early the next morning to be told it was "my fault" that I didn't sit at DEN for 24 hours. I really don't appreciate it when they won't re-book me on the return from DEN rather than paying for a one-way rental car, at my expense of course.

I was a little disappointed when Delta put plastic cups and paper trays in first class. However, Delta has never blamed me for a misconnection, they will open a seat for me on a flight I want in those cases, and Delta has held a connecting flight for me (up to departure time rather than leaving early) so I can run to the gate and make it. Who cares whether the wine is in a glass or plastic cup if you're in the airport watching the plane leave 10 minutes early?

 

[usfan]

Just wait for the announcement coming next week:

In the event of sudden loss of cabin pressure an emergency oxygen mask will drop down. This service is complimentary in first class, but all other pax will pay a surcharge of $25 for their oxygen. Exact change is appreciated.

I was told that as of May 5 we start to charge for pillows and blankets in Economy class - Like Air Canada does . Costs ??? I guess they will also charge around 5 USD . It will be in a plastic bag packed as one set and sold onboard .....
I also was told that new baggage allowance and pillow / blanket deal will be valid also on Transatlantic flights !!!!! What a shame !!! what next ?? Use of toilet paper ????

 

[BuffaloJoe]

I was told that as of May 5 we start to charge for pillows and blankets in Economy class - Like Air Canada does . Costs ??? I guess they will also charge around 5 USD . It will be in a plastic bag packed as one set and sold onboard .....
I also was told that new baggage allowance and pillow / blanket deal will be valid also on Transatlantic flights !!!!! What a shame !!! what next ?? Use of toilet paper ????

Don't worry, they will be installing Bill Accepting Machines on all their planes Lavatories. $5 to take a wizz or pooh!