TopDawg Travel

Posts Tagged ‘airlines’

Air travel today is such a mixed emotion that it colors every other form and function of travel. Good, bad and ugly describe every flight, every attempt to go from one place to another in an airplane…. read more

The Department of Transportation has launched an improved consumer website where airline passengers can file complaints, review airline on-time statistics, baggage-handling performance, read travel tips, gain access to DOT rules, enforcement orders and other documents.  The site is available in both English and Spanish.  The website offers a feature to file a complaint directly with the DOT about airline service.    Read more…

Get packing with the new Aston Hotels & Resorts $50 Luggage Credit!  With most major airlines adding fees for checked luggage, Aston Hotels & Resorts is making it a little easier to decide how much to bring.   Guests at 26 participating Aston Hotels & Resort properties in Hawaii and Sun Valley, Idaho can now enjoy a luggage credit of $50. So pack everything you need, and even save room for a few souvenirs. 

Yesterday afternoon officials at SEATAC airport received the anticipated numbers for the holiday traffic coming through the airport.  In speaking with Perry Cooper, Airport Media Officer, he reported that the numbers for the Thanksgiving holiday are in line with last year’s statistics.  The busiest day of the holiday will be on November 29th, Sunday with an estimated 94,000 passengers passing through the facility.  The next busiest days will be Wednesday, November 25th and Monday, November 30th, estimated at 92,000 passengers each day.  While the airport will increase the number of personnel to assist passengers, in the stores, security checkpoints and customer service representatives, the airport is more than ready to cope with the numbers of people passing through it.   Read more… Port of Seattle not concerned about Orbitz Insider reporting SEATAC no. 10 busiest during holidays

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These days it feels like the consumer is being nickel’d and dime’d to death as they fly the different airlines.  I heard a rumor, but I do not know it as a fact, that United Airlines has revised their checked baggage policy.  So I checked their website to see what the written policy is. 

On United Airlines website, it says that the first bag will be charged at the rate of $15 and the second bag will be charged at the rate of $25.  And, if your bags are oversized or overweight  or you have excess baggage or special types of baggage (I think golf clubs might fall into the special type of baggage) you might have to pay additional fees as well.  Such examples given are:  if you check more than 2 bags, or any of your bags weigh more than 50 pounds (23 kg), or if your bag exceed 62 linear inches (158 linear cm).  These charges could be anywhere from $125 per bag to $250 per bag. 

It is definitely advisable to check with United before booking your ticket if you think any of your baggage will fall under these guidelines.  There are luggage forwarding services that might be cheaper for you to consider.  The website does not itemize or identify what “special Items” might be, so asking ahead of time is a really good idea!  And the charges on all baggage are for one-way travel only.  So for a round trip you will pay fees each way.

A good way to save some money with United Airlines, however, is if you pay your baggage fees on line between now and January 31, 2009.  You can save 20% on the fee for your first checked bag by paying online.  That is a small savings. 

So no matter what you read or where you read it, until any airline website reflects changes, it is best to call and ask, and even try to get it in writing if you are told that they are not charging the first or second bag fees.  Flying today is just not what it used to be!  And no matter what airline you are flying, it is best to check out all those extra fees before you buy a ticket!