Trick, repack and rethink your way around the new luggage fees

by Scott Carmichael on

If you regularly check a bag, then I’m sure the airlines would like to personally thank you for the extra income. In just two years, we’ve gone from one airline experimenting with a pay-to-check baggage system, to an industry where paying to check any bag is the new standard. Thankfully, there are ways around having to check a bag.

Obviously, this won’t work if you are carrying everything plus your kitchen sink, but smart packers can easily pack and carry everything they need for an extended trip as carry-on luggage. In this Gadling guide, we’ll explain how you can sneak a third carry-on with you, how you can check a bag for free at the gate, or when to look into simply shipping your bags.

Don’t know whether your airline charges for checked bags? Check out this comprehensive chart from Airfarewatchdog.com.


Rethink your bag strategy to maximize what you can carry

Are you traveling with a laptop bag and a small duffel? Or a handbag and a small rolling case? Rethink how you carry your stuff if you want to maximize your space. Get the largest rolling case (or duffel) the airlines allow, and find the largest expanding laptop bag that can fit under a seat.

Ladies, be aware that airlines WILL count your handbag as a “personal item”, so leave room in your two other bags for your handbag. A gate agent having a bad day will stop you and demand that you combine your items.

Find lighter luggage

Every extra pound wasted on your luggage, is a pound you could use to pack more stuff. Rolling luggage has really evolved in recent years, to the point where a very sturdy piece of rolling luggage can weigh just 5 pounds. For more lightweight products, check out our lightweight travel gift guide.

Use a jacket as a third carry-on

Yes, that’s right – a jacket can be a very sneaky third carry-on without anyone noticing. Annie took the $120 Scottevest “Women’s essential jacket” for a spin last year, and explained how its 18 pockets let you carry the contents of one bag in your jacket. Nobody will notice you are actually wearing a bag, which gives you two more bags for your crap.

Scottevest garments are available in many styles, colors and sizes at scottevest.com.

Never make it LOOK heavy

No matter how much stuff you pack in your bags, don’t make it look heavy. The moment a gate agent sees you struggle with a bag, is the moment they’ll ask you to have the bag weighed, or point out that it is just too heavy for the overhead.

Make use of the handles on your bag, never drag a non-rolling bag through the airport, and never ask the flight attendant to help stuff your bag in the overhead – chances are they’ll point to the door and tell you to check it.

Board first

Boarding early means boarding when the overhead compartments are still relatively empty. Of course, getting the magical “group 1” on your boarding pass isn’t always easy (or possible). In some cases, the airline may offer a relatively cheap upgrade to premium economy, or you may be able to find yourself a comp to an entry level elite status.

If you are traveling with a buddy who holds group 1 eligible status, you can usually piggyback off their status.

Have a last minute backup plan

Always designate one of your bags your “flight bag”. If your massive overweight bags get noticed at the gate, and someone demands you check one of them, you don’t want to be the last person holding up the flight because you need to combine items from both bags into one.

Make sure you pack everything you need in one bag, and use the other one for less important stuff. Chargers, medication and your iPod stay together. Of course, refrain from packing expensive items in your “can check” bag, as there is no such thing as a “lucky day” when flying.

Gate-check

Did you make it past the check-in kiosk and the security checkpoint with your obviously overweight bag? If the gate area is packed, ask the agent for a gate check of your bag. They’ll actually appreciate your honesty and willingness to part with your bag. But best of all, they’ll slap a tag on your bag for free. Of course, this won’t work with your massive 30″ suitcase, as someone from the TSA will prevent that from making its way through the x-ray machine, but an expanded 22″ bag won’t be a problem (unless you try and stuff it in the overhead). Some airlines are even experimenting with gate check volunteers, and will reward them with a “group 1” boarding assignment.

Also, do us all a favor and don’t even bother trying to stuff an expanded bag in the overhead – it won’t fit, and you’ll just end up delaying the entire boarding process.

Dump the crap and lighten the load

Really, if you are going on a 4 day trip with two 40lb bags, then you’d better have a damn good reason. When you start packing, start going through some of the junk you have in your bags. Chances are, you don’t need half of it.

Heavy and bulky items like shoes may seem like a must have on your trip, but in some cases you may be better off with lighter flip-flops. Start by repacking your most essential items, then slowly add things you think you might need.


Ship, don’t schlep

Our very own George Hobica already did your homework on this one – in some cases, it can be cheaper, faster and safer to ship your luggage instead of trying to carry it on the plane (or check it).

FedEx or UPS can get a bag to your destination in a couple of days, which means you can leave for the airport without worrying about toiletries, clothes or other luggage. Just bring your small carry-on, and keep an eye on the tracking number. Once at your destination, if the service did its job right, your bags will be safe and sound waiting for you to have a good time.

Rethink your technology

Technology is a good friend of the lightweight traveler. Dump the laptop and get a netbook. Sell your old books and get a Kindle. Throw your old chargers in a box and get a universal lightweight laptop charger.

Yes – the investment in technology will be pretty fierce if you really want to go ultra lightweight, but your back will thank you for it.

Borrow a friend (but not a stranger)

Traveling with a buddy? If you are on the road with someone who knows the tricks, or who simply doesn’t care about paying to check a bag, you can always ask them to carry one of your bags for you. Obviously, only do this with someone who trusts you, and don’t betray their trust by using that bag for your bootleg DVD’s and “herbal products” from Amsterdam. No, really – don’t do it.

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Ryanair pressing ahead with its pay to pee scheme

by Scott Carmichael on

Around this time last year, Ryanair made the news when its quirky CEO announced his plans to charge passengers for using the bathroom. The inital reaction was that of amusement, then when people realized the guy was serious, people started questioning his mental health.

The news died down, but apparently the folks in Dublin have been working hard behind the scenes to actually become the first airline in the world with paid bathrooms.

In fact, the airline is taking things one step further by removing two of the three bathrooms on the plane, and adding more sears. End result? One pay-to-pee bathroom and a 5% decrease in ticket prices.

The entire scheme actually makes perfect sense, especially since the airline is using the modification to lower prices even more. Of course, this is going to be bad news for people with a bladder problem, or those that enjoy taking their photo in the airplane bathroom.

No announcement has been made when Ryanair passengers will need to bring pee pee money, but knowing how efficient they are, it may be sooner rather than later.

Man arrested for Twitter bomb threat at Robin Hood Airport

by Scott Carmichael on

In what is probably the world’s first Twitter airport bomb threat, a 26 year old man has been arrested when he joked about blowing his airport “sky high”.

Paul Chambers was stuck at Doncaster’s Robin Hood Airport (yes seriously – that is its name) during the nasty snow storms that hit the UK last week.

When it became clear that the snow could delay his flight, he tweeted the following:

“‘Crap! Robin Hood airport is closed. You’ve got a week and a bit to get your shit together, otherwise I’m blowing the airport sky high”

Police were alerted to the Tweets, and Mr. Chambers was arrested. He was held under UK anti-terror laws, and locked up for seven hours.

He was eventually released on bail, and will have to appear in court on February 11th. Worst of all (for him), he has been banned for life from Robin Hood airport and has been suspended from his job. All because of a harmless tweet.

According to police, it is all because of “the world we live in”. Apparently that new world is one where people making jokes on Twitter can be considered terrorists. So, next time your airline pisses you off, be careful what you say on Twitter!

New airport opens in Spain

by Sean McLachlan on

Last Sunday travelers to Spain got a new flight option–an airport in Lleida (also known as Lérida) in Cataluña.

Lleida is an ancient town, founded in prehistoric times and boasting the typical Spanish attractions of historic buildings, modernist architecture, museums, good food, and a fun nightlife. Of particular interest is the 12th century Romanesque Church of Sant Llorenç with its elegant altarpieces. Atop a nearby hill is the Templar castle of Gardeny, built in the same century.

The airport officially opened Sunday with the landing of a special Airbus A320 Vueling flight from Barcelona. Vueling will start commercial flights on February 5 to Paris and Palma de Mallorca.

The government also hopes travelers to nearby Andorra will use the airport. They estimate 50,000 travelers will use the airport in its first year.

What? You’re still paying the airlines to carry your bags?

by George Hobica on

Now that the airlines have raised, yet again, their fees for checked bags, it’s time to take another look at the alternative: shipping your bags, or better yet (if you’re staying in one place once you arrive) just the contents of your bag ahead of your arrival using economical ground shipping services.

Why deal with the airlines, when UPS Ground and FedEx Ground offer better tracking, insurance and security, can be much cheaper in some scenarios, and will actually refund your shipping fee if there’s a delay or loss? No waiting in line at the airport! No pilferage! No schlepping!

Airfarewatchdog.com has looked at four domestic route scenarios (short, medium, and long haul) and compared three shipping services and two airlines (one with high bag fees, and one with low fees) to see how much you can save by not entrusting your bags to the airlines.

As you can see from the chart, depending on route and method, the cost savings achieved from shipping vs. schlepping range from little or nothing to dramatic. But as we explain, even if costs are the same, dealing with a company like FedEx
can be much less stressful than with an airline.

Consider: a single 25-pound suitcase or shipment from Boston to San Francisco by FedEx Ground costs about $31 vs. $23-$25 on Delta or nothing on Southwest.

But once that suitcase weighs over 50 pounds, excess charges kick in on the airlines, even on Southwest: you’d pay $56 for a 55-lb. bag using USPS on that same Boston-San Francisco trip, but twice that on Delta, which adds an extra $90 fee each way for bags weighing over 50 pounds. Even Southwest will charge you $50 each way.

And if your bag is both heavy and oversized (larger than 61-62 linear inches), you’ll get hit with triple jeopardy on some airlines: a fee for the first bag, plus an overweight fee, plus an oversized fee. Such a bag might cost nearly $300 on Delta on a trip from Los Angeles to Seattle vs. under $40 via FedEx Ground.

Also of note: the typical 22-inch rolling suitcase weighs 9-10 lbs. and airlines will shun responsibility for what they consider “normal wear and tear” if the suitcase or its wheel mechanism is damaged in transit. If you’re staying in one place once you arrive, do you really need a suitcase at all? Put your clothes and other personal items in a sturdy box and you’ll pay ground shippers even less than the prices shown in our chart.

But even if the costs are the same airline vs. ground shipping, consider these advantages of shipping:

  • Better tracking: You can track your shipment online step by step. Try that with an airline.
  • Safer: There’s less chance of something going missing or getting damaged.
  • Convenience: you can breeze through the airport without waiting in line to check bags.
  • Responsibility: If an airline loses or delays your bag, they’ll keep your fee and play the blame game. FedEx and UPS will at least refund your shipping fees. Plus, airlines refuse to take responsibility for losing or damaging anything they consider “valuable,” such as electronics or business items. You can insure these items with the shipping services for a small additional fee.
  • Less schlepping: True, you have to either drop off your shipment at a post office, UPS office or store, or FedEx or Kinko’s location (or you can arrange for pick up for a small fee in some cases), but let’s face it: fighting for overhead space is no fun, and lugging luggage through mile-long airport concourses is no fun either.

Clearly, we’ve only given examples for domestic shipping, but USPS Priority Mail rates for international shipping are surprisingly competitive with the airlines’ fees for checking bags on international routes.

And even if you’re the carry-on type, shipping on your next trip may reveal the joys of not fighting for overhead space and saving yourself a shoulder injury from hoisting a heavy bag into same.

Give shipping vs. checking a try next time you fly. You may never pay bag fees again.

George Hobica is the founder of Airfarewatchdog™, the most inclusive source of airfare deals that have been researched and verified by experts. Airfarewatchdog compares fares from all airlines and includes the increasing number of airline-site-only and promo code fares.