BREAKING: Spirit Airlines to charge up to $45 fee for carry-on bags

by Grant Martin on

There’s big news in the airline industry today, as Spirit Airlines announced the addition of carry-on baggage fees to their already healthy roster of post-ticketing charges.

For those paying online, each carry on bag will cost an additional $30 unless you’re in Spirit’s subscription-based $9 Fare Club. Those lucky members will only be charged $20 per bag. If paying for the service in-person at the airport, the fee jumps to $45 per bag. Personal items such as purses or briefcases will continue to be free as long as they fit underneath the seat.

Although Spirit Airlines is the first carrier to initiate such a fee, there’s broad speculation among the travel community on whether it will be picked up by other carriers — checked baggage fees, paid snacks and seat selection, after all, have all been nearly universally adopted over the last three years. Perhaps this is the beginning of the end of free carry-on luggage industry wide.

On the bright side, however, there should be plenty more overhead bin space after August 1.

New baggage fees will go into effect on August 1st. You can check out more details and see whether your bag qualifies as a “carry-on” or a “personal item” over at spiritair.com.%Gallery-76818%

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Avoid conversations by wearing headphones – Airplane tip

by Gadling Staff on

Sick of hearing about a stranger’s dysfunctional family or odd medical conditions? Avoid conversations all-together by doing a simple thing: wear headphones.

This works best if you also avoid eye contact (and it may be necessary to pretend that you don’t hear you fellow passengers the first time they speak). Pull your headphones off when speaking to them and then put the headphones back on when the chit-chat is over.

In reality, it doesn’t even matter if the headphones are plugged in. The other passengers just need to believe they are.

Passenger uses SkyMall to block air vent

by Mike Barish on

Airplanes are notoriously cold. That’s why everyone is eager to find the blankets and airlines are looking to make money off of them. But what do you do when the temperature in the plane is so low that you can’t possibly relax? If you’re on a plane that doesn’t allow you to close your the air vent above you, you’re typically out of luck. Recently, however, one passenger used some ingenuity, chutzpah and an airplane staple to remedy the situation on his own.

My friend Colin McCabe was flying to Austin earlier this month to attend the SXSW festival. His particular Delta flight was chilly. Or, as he put it, “meat locker cold.” The air vent was right over his head and could not be adjusted. He attempted to warm himself with a (free) blanket for 20 minutes to no avail. He notified the flight attendant of his discomfort and was told that there was nothing that she could do to adjust the temperature. Essentially, he was on his own.

That’s when the idea hit him. He grabbed the nearby SkyMall catalog, wedged it in the vent and completely blocked the flow of air raining down from above. He quickly became comfortable as the temperature by his seat increased. He had saved himself from the icy torment and cemented himself as a legend in the SkyMall Monday pantheon.

Sadly, the fix was temporary. The flight attendant told him that he had to remove the catalog as it was a “fire hazard.” Once again, he was besieged by gusts of frigid air as he flew south towards Texas.

Despite his thwarted attempt, we salute Colin for his quick-thinking (and for taking the photo above to share his experience).

Have you ever been so cold on a plane that you were at your wits’ end? What did you do to warm up? Share your tales of arctic airplanes in the comments.

Photo by Colin McCabe via Flickr.

Lose the luggage, get a ruck sack – Airplane tip

by Gadling Staff on

Now that most airlines charge to check your bags, more people are opting to carry their luggage onto planes. However, not much fits in your typical carry-on. To maximize your carry-on capacity and still fit your bag in the overhead compartment, take a tip from the U.S. Army. Trade your rolling luggage for an army surplus Ruck Sack.

A Ruck Sack offers plenty of pockets and lots of room for your belongings. They’re also durable and easy to sling across your shoulders. Look for a pack with an internal back frame to better support the load.

Rest in peace Captain Clarence Oveur

by Scott Carmichael on

Yesterday afternoon, actor Peter Graves died at his home at the age of 83.

He was of course very well known for his role as Jim Phelps in the Mission: Impossible series, but to fans of air travel, his most memorable role is probably that of Captain Clarence Oveur in Airplane!.

Captain Oveur: You ever been in a cockpit before?
Joey: No sir, I’ve never been up in a plane before.
Captain Oveur: You ever seen a grown man naked?
Captain Oveur: Joey, have you ever been in a… in a Turkish prison?

Rest in peace Captain Oveur – and thanks for the laughs.