Page 1 of 3 123 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 22

Thread: United Airlines Announces New Checked Bag Policy

  1. #1

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Kaneohe, Hawaii
    Posts
    1,390

    United Airlines Announces New Checked Bag Policy

    FYI for those who travel a lot:

    "CHICAGO– Feb. 4, 2008 – As part of its continuing effort to offer customers choice, flexibility, and low fares, United is announcing a new, simplified checked bag policy for customers who purchase nonrefundable domestic economy tickets. United’s new checked bag policy is available at united.com/baggage.

    Customers who purchase nonrefundable domestic economy tickets and do not have status in Mileage Plus or Star Alliance may check one bag for free and a second bag for a $25 service fee.

    For all customers, the cost to check up to four additional bags will be $100 per bag. Previous charges ranged from $85-$125 per bag. The cost to check items that require special handling because they are large, overweight or fragile will now be either $100 or $200, depending on the item.

    United’s most frequent fliers – customers who have Premier status or higher in Mileage Plus, or Silver status or higher with Star Alliance – will continue to receive the benefit of checking two bags for free.

    ...

    This new checked bag policy applies for travel beginning on May 5, 2008, within the U.S. and to/from Canada, San Juan, Puerto Rico and St. Thomas, and the service fee to check a second bag only applies to tickets purchased on or after Feb. 4, 2008. Customers may pay this service fee at an airport Easy Check-In kiosk with a credit card or at the check-in counter with a credit card, check or cash."

    http://www.united.com/press/detail/0,6862,58892,00.html
    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23070443/

    I've always flown United, but this has me reconsidering.

  2. #2

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Westminster, MD
    Posts
    1,653

    Re: United Airlines Announces New Checked Bag Policy

    Except for Hawaii, driving is beginning to be the only option.
    When I grow up, I want to be a photographer.

    http://www.walterpcalahan.com/Photography/index.html

  3. #3
    Whatever David A. Goldfarb's Avatar
    Join Date
    Mar 2000
    Location
    Honolulu, Hawai'i
    Posts
    4,658

    Re: United Airlines Announces New Checked Bag Policy

    I travel light, even with LF gear. Unless I'm going somewhere for more than two months, I rarely check more than one bag. If my wife and I are traveling together, then we check two bags usually (one each).

  4. #4
    Glenn Mellen
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Southlake, Texas
    Posts
    207

    Re: United Airlines Announces New Checked Bag Policy

    I travel fairly frequently, and also travel "loaded down" with large and medium format gear (plus digi-cam for odds'n-end on-the-fly pics). Usually a large suitcase for clothes and a tripod bag are my "check-ins," and large format camera essentials are in a carry-on bag. All other equipment and films are sent via UPS to destinations.

    Airlines and airports are definitely not photographer friendly. They try to insist that films be xrayed. They slit open even factory-sealed film boxes when you insist on hand-inspections (altho' I've been told by TSRA this isn't a requirement). They refuse to allow insurance on gear. They won't let you put locks on cases... and I do not trust their employees or TSRA with unlocked cases containing multi-thousands of dollars in equipment... especially since IF something gets stolen or lost they face no consequences.

    Fortunately shipping UPS resolves most of the above problems. Cases can be insured. Cases can be locked. Films won't be cut open or xrayed. Unfortunately shipping this way is rather expensive... just returned from 1-1/2 weeks in Death Valley... $875 spent on shipping to and from location.

    Looks like United Airlines will no longer be considered for future trips... or any other airline reducing the number of bags allowed. Perhaps it's time to investigate trains... or time to leave the large and medium format equipment at home and borrow wife's point'n-shoot digi-Nikon for any trip that can't be covered by driving.

  5. #5

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Kaneohe, Hawaii
    Posts
    1,390

    Re: United Airlines Announces New Checked Bag Policy

    Well, here is something else. This really scares me, I can see our privacy rights evaporating.

    "Travelers to Europe may face fingerprinting

    The European Commission will propose Wednesday that all foreign travelers into and out of Europe, including U.S. citizens, should be fingerprinted. If approved by the European Parliament, the measure would mean that precisely identifying information on tens of millions of citizens will be added in coming years to databases that could be shared by friendly governments around the globe.

    The United States already requires that foreigners be fingerprinted and photographed before they can enter the country. So does Japan. Now top European security officials want to follow suit, with travelers being fingerprinted and some also having their facial image stored in a Europe-wide database, according to a copy of the proposal obtained by The Washington Post. "

    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23120034/

  6. #6

    Re: United Airlines Announces New Checked Bag Policy

    The days of the anonymous traveler are about over, if the person isn't know now they soon will be.

    It's the 21st Century and there is no turning back, like it or not.

  7. #7

    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    Germany, Aalen
    Posts
    849

    Re: United Airlines Announces New Checked Bag Policy

    The question is: how much of these is really necessary. The other querstion is: how effective all these safety regulations (that's what they are, right) are. I am not convinced. Maybe one should try to do something with reasons, not only consequences ( easier to say, though ) ...
    Matus

  8. #8

    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    grand rapids
    Posts
    3,851

    Re: United Airlines Announces New Checked Bag Policy

    The new 50lb limits the airlines set a few years back get me all the time. My suitcase with clothes and tripod are rarely under the limit on my return flights since i often aquire gifts or more yard sale items. My 8x10 gear in it's pack goes in a big rolling pelican case that weighs about 20lbs empty. I usually get away with it but sometimes get stung for the $50 charge.
    I won't fly united again if that's how they're gonna play it.

  9. #9

    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    NY area
    Posts
    1,029

    Re: United Airlines Announces New Checked Bag Policy

    This is why I drive for all photography related travel in North America. Just last year alone I did two 12,500 mile cross country trips. You simply can not carry the all the proper gear, and especially safety gear, when you fly. Plus there's no guarantee that your checked bags will get there.

  10. #10

    Join Date
    Jun 2002
    Posts
    9,487

    Re: United Airlines Announces New Checked Bag Policy

    I have my gear stripped to the minimum for flying because it has gotten so difficult to manage the whole thing. And I also have tried to "cheapen" what I bring so that if I lose it, I'm not in too much trouble. Right now I can get clothing and two-light kit and a CF tripod into one large bag, and my 4x5, film, laptop, portfolio, and dslr into a legal carry-on backpack (it might be a bit overweight). It's a compromise but it works -- driving XC is out of the question.

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •