Overweight luggage charges

[mnmom22]

Big news report about Northwest Airlines starting to charge for overweight baggage----$25 each way for 50-75lbs and $50 each way for 75-100lbs. They won't take anything over 100lbs. They started charging today. Looked like there were a number of unhappy passengers. I know I will be. We're paying horrid prices already because I decided rather last minute that I wanted to go to WDW for Christmas. If I have to pay for heavy luggage I'll be really unhappy. I've got to figure out how to weigh it before we get to the airport. I wonder if it would be cheaper for me to ship the Christmas/santa presents I was going to bring.

 

[SuzyQue]

My mom said she saw people literally unloading stuff from their suit cases while they were still on the scale and putting it into their carry-on luggage! ~~

 

[Muffy]

Is this for all airlines or just Northwest?

 

[peg2001]

I don't know about all airlines but Delta charges $80 EACH WAY for overweight luggage (over 70 pounds).

Peggy

 

[SueM in MN]

We had a number of news stories here about it because Minneapolis is Northwest's home base. From what was reported, this was always a rule (part of the agreements between airlines), but it was not enforced. The reason Northwest gave for enforcing it now is that they have had a large number of staff with back injuries from handling heavy bags. I would expect the other airlines that are not already doing it to do the same thing soon.

 

[mnmom22]

The local news said American and Delta were going to follow suit but hadn't set a date yet. Leave it to Northwest to figure out a way to get more money out of Minneapolis. It's usually cheaper to drive 4 hours to Des Moines, Iowa, get on a flight to Mpls and then to Orlando than to board the same flight in Mpls.

 

[seashoreCM]

>> presents I was going to bring.

Any way you can avoid bringing so much stuff? Like opening the presents under the home Christmas tree after New Years instead of in the WDW resort room on Christmas Day? And like not bringing the DVD's and xbox or nintendo? And like not bringing the entire pin collection to do trades with. Can Mom or Dad get by without the laptop?

The less you bring, the less can become lost or damaged luggage. Less hassle in the rental car or limo especially on the way back with even more stuff. Less distractions with home toys in the resort room that would in turn lead to less time in the parks and pools and more rushing around.

For a two week trip to WDW I get by with one carry-on (would be one suitcase per person and maybe one extra suitcase for things like diapers if I had a family)

I have also mailed the (non-fragile) dirty clothes home so I could hand carry the souvenirs I bought at WDW.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

>> back injuries

I would still recommend to ground crew (any of you with college agers doing summer or vacation jobs?) to re-emphasize lift-safe work practices despite holiday crowds and fewer crew due to layoffs.

 

[safetymom]

All the airlines are doing this. Another way to increase revenue. Be sure to check because you can be charged if you bring more than the 2 suitcases allowed. You will be charged once for the extra suitcase and then again if it is oversize or overweight. You are charged for each segment of the flight. So if you have a stopover it can get quite expensive.

I travel for business and always had 3 cases of equipment. It was cheaper for use to ship UPS after they started this because one way the extra charges were $360 because they were all oversize and the 3rd one was extra.

 

[zulaya]

I don't know what people are bringing, but I don't see how you can bring this much stuff. I was recently very worried about just the 50 lb. We have 3 large bags (30" pullman, another large cuitcase and a large duffel" I packed a weeks worth of clothes, toiletries, swimsuits, one pin bag, and some incidentals. I am not one to pack my entire closet for a vacation. With the 4 of us, I filled the 2 bags fairly full and the other one about 1/2. I was still worried about the weight. I got the bathroom scale and wouldn't you know it, my heaviest bag was 41 lbs. Not even close.

I can believe the back injuries. No matter how hard you try to lift bags correctly, in that type of profession, if you try to lift an overweight bag, injuries are bound to happen.

Also remember the linear measurement rule that they are now enforcing. Your bags have to measure no more than 61 inches (that's height plus length plus depth) or you get charged an extra fee too.

 

[Niagara2]

Southwest also is charging at MCO. A very nice skycap weighed my bag, then came over with a golf bag box, had me open suitcase and fill the box. He taped it up and put it on the cart. I was a bit put out until he said, just saved you $70. I tipped him well and was on my way! The same suitcase and packing was fine at my home airport but not MCO. This particular suitcase has seen its days from many many trips and I was going nuts looking for another just like it. It fit all our clothes for 4 people for a cruise and a trip to OKW for 12 days. Now I figure I have to go back to a regular extra large and stay away from the really hugh ones.

 

[Luv2Roam]

Over Labor Day, flying United, I witnessed a young gal with parents. She had one LARGE suitcase and United was going to charge her $45 if she didn't lighten the load.
She ended up carrying a large armload of textbooks away.