Air Jamaica: pay for extra baggage, which might arrive after your holiday

by Karen Walrond on

You know, I get it. I do. I mean, the economy is bad, people aren’t taking vacations as often as they used to, and so airlines are feeling the pinch. They need to come up with creative ways to make a bit of cash. Of course they do. We all do. I get it.

However.

Something tells me that Air Jamaica might just be shooting themselves in the foot with their latest scheme. According to USA Today, Air Jamaica will allow passengers flying from New York to Grenada and New York to Barbados to check one bag on the plane for free — but the second bag will cost them US$ 25.

But dude, that’s not the best part.

The best part is that this second bag? The one that you’re PAYING EXTRA to bring on the flight? Won’t actually be on your flight. Instead, it will be “transported within 7 days,” and you’ll have to go to the airport to pick up the bag yourself.

Huh?

The airline states that the reason for this new policy is because of “weight restrictions on the aircraft.” Hmm.

Ooooh. Wait, I get it: they’re implementing this ridiculous policy so that no one will want to fly them anymore, and look for alternate routes to Grenada and Barbados, and therefore the planes will be lighter, since they’ll have no baggage or passengers. It all makes total sense to me, now!

Except for, you know, the part where it doesn’t.

10 tips for smarter flying


Ryanair: get in shape, carry your own bags

by Tom Johansmeyer on

European object of disdain low-cost carrier Ryanair is always looking for ways to save a few bucks. From pay-to-piss to the fat tax, the airline has put forth a stream of ideas that really haven’t gotten off the ground. Well, CEO Michael O’Leary has a new one to add to the list: mandatory luggage self-service.

Under this new model, passengers would carry their bags through airport security and drop them at the steps at the bottom of the plane. Turnaround times remain a concern – as they are for the fat tax. Let’s be realistic: the only people in the airport more likely to screw something up than baggage handlers are the passengers themselves.

If you spend 15 minutes staring at the menu at Sbarro and can’t figure the damned thing out, you probably shouldn’t be trusted to carry your own bags.

Bravo Alaska Airlines – bag not on the belt in 25 minutes? $25 off your next flight!

by Scott Carmichael on

It doesn’t matter how much of an experienced traveler you are – if you checked a bag, you are at the mercy of someone in the basement of the airport to get your bag.

I’ve had my bags tagged “priority”, and still spent 2 hours waiting for them to appear on the carousel.

Alaska Airlines understands our frustration, and is introducing a “Baggage Service Guarantee” which will go into effect on July 7th.

Their guarantee is simple – if you wait more than 25 minutes for your bags to reach you, you’ll get $25 off your next flight, or 2500 frequent flier miles.

Of course, their timing is a little suspicious, because they just announced that they’ll be joining the ranks of other airlines that charge for all checked baggage. Your first bag will cost $15, the second $25 and the third $50. This probably means people will secretly be hoping for their bags to take their time, so they can make some of that money back.

Dangerous items the TSA does not like – water, knives and shock absorbers!

by Scott Carmichael on

Yesterday, I posted an article linking to the most up to date ways to be prepared for the security checkpoint at your airport.

One item missing from the lineup of things not to bring, was shock absorbers.

At least, that would appear to be the case after reading this story from a traveler who passed through LAX International airport.

After several delays, and a night at the airport, this passenger arrived home with his luggage, only to discover that 4 shock absorbers for his ’69 Mustang had been removed from his luggage, replaced by a note from the TSA telling him they had inspected his bag.

When he contacted the baggage agent for his airline, he was told that the TSA had confiscated them, but no reason was given for this.

Shock absorbers are not listed on the TSA site as prohibited, and I could not find any category of item that would give them a reason to simply take them. That said – the airlines do have a listing for pressurized items, and I could certainly understand if they consider shocks to fall into that category.

It isn’t clear whether he’ll ever get them back. Lesson for the next time – have them shipped instead.

More airline employees with sticky fingers

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Did you lose a bag at Philadelphia International Airport? Well, there may be a reason. An American Airlines baggage crew chief was arrested and charged with stealing clothes from the luggage he handled. The game appears to have been: (1) steal the clothes, (2) return them to a department store and (3) don’t get caught.

That last one’s the hard part.

A passenger on Flight 892 from Dallas to Philly noticed four articles of clothing missing – with a total value of $550. It was easy to reach that amount; the tags were still on the items. Later, the clothing, which was purchased at a Nordstrom in Dallas, was taken to a local Nordstrom.

If it seems to easy … well, handcuffs are there to tell you that it is.

This is just the latest instance busted up by police. A TSA official was fired from his job in Philly for lifting passenger belongings, and a theft ring in St. Louis was discovered – after around 900 items were alleged to have been stolen.