Delta Raising Fees For Extra Baggage

To Offset Fuel Costs, Airline Increases Charges For More Than One Piece Of Checked Luggage

(AP)  Delta Air Lines Inc., the nation's third-largest carrier, will double its charge for checking a second bag on a domestic flight as part of a set of fee increases to help offset the high cost of fuel.

The Atlanta-based carrier said Tuesday that the changes will apply to customers who purchase a ticket on or after Thursday for travel on or after Aug. 5.

Fee changes include an increase from $25 to $50 to check a second bag for domestic travel. Fees for specialty items that require special handling, such as surfboards or ski equipment, will increase on domestic and international flights, Delta said.

First Class, BusinessElite and Medallion customers will still be able to check up to three bags at no charge, the airline said.

Delta said that as fuel costs remain high, it believes revising its fee structure for excess bags and specialty items is essential to generate the necessary revenues to offset its higher costs.

Delta currently does not charge passengers for checking a first bag on domestic flights. It has said it is studying a decision by several other major carriers to impose that fee.

Delta customers checking bags on international flights can check a first and second bag at no charge.

Fees are for each extra bag, each way.

The fee for checking a third bag on a domestic flight will increase from $80 to $125, while the fee for checking a bag that is between 51 and 70 pounds on a domestic flight will rise from $80 to $90. On any flight checking a bag that is 62 inches to 80 inches of the total of its length plus its width plus its height will rise from $150 to $175.

Delta warned on its Web site that if a customer has an extra piece of baggage that goes over the weight limit and the size limit, the passenger will be charged three times - once for the extra bag, once for going over the size limit and once for going over the weight limit.

The airline said it accepts up to 10 checked bags on Delta mainline flights and four checked bags on Delta Connection carriers.

It said a $175 charge per item applies to media representatives carrying camera, film, video tape, lighting, or sound equipment.

Delta announced April 14 that it will acquire Eagan, Minn.-based Northwest Airlines Corp. in a stock-swap deal that would create the world's largest carrier in terms of traffic. The deal is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval.

[cheetah-man7]

Delta Sucks!

[whitemale08]

Soon everybody will be riding the bus cross country alongside chicken hens just like 3rd world countries.

Thx...Repulicans.

Don''t you dare blame Obama for entering 3rd world status.

Don''t you dare.

[credibility2]

Presumbly, over-weight bags, including carry-ons will also be charged for the extra weight. I remember a few days after 9/11 when I got stranded in Denver en route to a business conference where I was supposed to speak, the FAA barred any carry-on bags, with the exception of a purse or a briefcase. No roll-ons were allowed and passengers had to check those. The overhead bins were never designed for roll-ons; two of these take up the space, when in fact they were designed to accommodate three smaller bags, one for each passenger in the row. It''s ridiculous the bulging roll-ons passengers try to stuff into the overheads, often leaving many passengers with nowhere to place their own carry on. I travel light and with a small shoulder bag. I don''t even have a computer. Too many carry-ons slows the boarding and disembarking process. Charge people with roll-ons for bringing them on-board, or force them to check them like any other piece of luggage.

[fmmedway]

Why are the airlines only charging for CHECKED bags? Why are there no fees for carry-on bags? I find that most of those are larger and heavier than the one bag I usually check. Is the checked bag fee to off-set higher fule costs or to have the passengers directly pay for the baggage handlers? Makes one wonder.

[gangesdak]

Airlines will soon charge people according to their (dead) weight.

[rushlimpdrug]

So if I have this right:

Flight on Delta: $700.00

Flight for extra old bag on Delta: $350.00

[Gary Kempf]

slim1h2o
You have a valid point.

[slim1h2o]

Just so I am clear on this, wouldn''''t be $175.00 for being over sized as a dead body, or would it be the $350.00 as a second bag as a dead body.

Posted by navpro at 01:57 PM : Jul 30, 2008

Wouldn''t a dead body be medical waste? And as such, require special permits that would require additional fees?

[haoli25]

The world will soon be a better place WITHOUT Delta. I will really miss those ugly sky-waitresses they employ....NOT!

lol

[Gary Kempf]

The fee for dead body removal from the bathroom is going to increase from $50 to $100 starting 10/1/08.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Posted by MorganBarber

Just so I am clear on this, wouldn''t be $175.00 for being over sized as a dead body, or would it be the $350.00 as a second bag as a dead body.

[morganbarber]

The fee for dead body removal from the bathroom is going to increase from $50 to $100 starting 10/1/08.

[redbds]

So if I check in a large, overweight, second bag I will be charged a $50 second bag fee, a $125 fee for bag being overweight, and a $175 fee for the bag being oversize. That is $350 for a second bag. Depending on the flight that could be more than the ticket. This is getting rediculous.

[Gary Kempf]

Delta Raising Fees For Extra Baggage

Does this include the woman that died on a Delta flight for being dead weight?