Those wacky airlines

From today's Atlanta Business Journal



Delta Air Lines Inc. has joined its industry peers by starting fees for checked first bags.

The Atlanta-based airline said the moves are part of aligning policies with the recently acquired Northwest.

For travel on or after Dec. 5, Delta customers flying within the United States will be charged $15 for the first checked bag and $25 for the second checked bag. Customers who bought Delta tickets on or before Nov. 5 and who are traveling on or after Dec. 5 will be charged $50 for a second bag, but will be permitted to check their first bag for free.

Customers flying in First or Business Class, including SkyMiles Medallion members and WorldPerks Elite members, will receive up to three checked bags, up to 70 pounds each, for free.

 

Un-fucking-believeable. Am now very glad I booked my Thanksgiving trip on AirTran (yes, I know I wouldn't have been charged, it's the principle of the thing). If Southwest ever gets its head out of its ass and starts flying through Atlanta (B'ham doesn't count) Delta would be so done.

 

Agreed. This doesn't impact me because of my Medallion status on Delta, but it never ceases to amaze me that an entire industry in the customer service business seems to never stop going out of its way to irritate those same customers, often to the point where people purposely go to the competition.

 

They just don't like your San Francisco values, I guess. They assume anyone coming from Salt Lake must arrive in San Fran with a proper sense of distaste and revulsion.

 

I would gladly spend an extra $15 not to have to fly AirTran.

 

I've never understood the airline industry.
Quite a few years back I had to fly to Seattle and checked prices from Dallas, Austin and Houston. At the time, cheapest I was finding was about $380 but most were in the 400 range.
Decided to check a little airport down the road. $145, switching in Dallas. Then I checked first class (just for fun), and it only went up to $480. I booked first class. (Yeah the small plane from my city to Dallas doesn't have first class, but heck for $480 from Dallas to Seattle in first class, when I was going to pay only about $100 less in coach booking from Dallas, became a no-brainer). That blew my mind

Now I generally only fly Midwest (those little bit bigger seats are a nice touch) or Southwest (if i fly solo, i could care less about an assigned seat. I get there early enough to find one and don't have to pay ridiculous fees for baggage now)