Is there a charge for checking in luggage? Netizens have launched fancy money saving methods for charging | overweight | luggage

This morning, a journalist from Chao News published an article about "Overweight hand luggage can also be charged", which received many comments from readers.

Many people have expressed that they have become accustomed to the free method of full service air luggage check-in, and are caught off guard by the baggage charges of differentiated service airlines. Many people have to be temporarily charged baggage fees during check-in. Many readers have also provided practical ways to save money on luggage check-in in the background. Let's take a look together.

A reader told reporters that his retired parents travel every year, and the elderly tend to choose cheaper flights for travel. For luggage check-in fees, they will do their homework in advance, book a local hotel, calculate the travel date and time, and use express delivery to directly check their luggage to the hotel. "This way, you only need a lightweight bag to go to the airport, saving you the trouble of carrying luggage. For example, when my parents depart from Hangzhou to Sanya, if they ask a courier to come to their doorstep, the first kilogram costs 14 yuan, and then every kilogram increases by 12 yuan. If you go directly to the business hall, the price can be half cheaper."

The reporter called the postal courier to inquire, and he told the reporter that sending packages from Hangzhou is different from city to city, and the farther the distance, the more expensive it is. Taking Hangzhou to Beijing as an example, the first kilogram is 21 yuan, and then every kilogram is 8 yuan. However, he suggested that you can directly go to the business hall for mailing, "which saves the salesperson's commission. Anyway, the delivery method is the same."

The reporter learned that according to the current baggage charging rules of low-cost airlines in China, the baggage fee is 12 yuan/jin for distances below 800 kilometers, 16 yuan/jin for distances between 800 kilometers and 1600 kilometers, and 20 yuan/jin for distances above 1600 kilometers. If you purchase luggage on the airline's official website, even if it is below 800 kilometers, the minimum fee is 120 yuan.

Another reader who often goes to Southeast Asia to take low-cost airlines suggests that traveling abroad definitely requires luggage check-in. She will ask the seller in advance on Taobao to purchase a share of luggage, which is much cheaper than purchasing directly on the official website.

The reporter opened Fliggy and entered the luggage check-in information. Multiple sellers were identified, covering luggage check-in services from various low-cost airlines both domestically and internationally, such as Spring Airlines, Long Dragon Airlines, Capital Airlines, as well as Air Asia, Lion Air Thailand, Vietnam Vietnam Vietnam, and more.

The reporter casually asked a seller how to purchase luggage check-in, and the buyer needed to provide the flight number, airline, departure city, and destination city. The salesperson then sent the luggage check-in price over.

Taking Capital Airlines as an example, the flights from Hangzhou to Xishuangbanna and Lijiang are all over 1600 kilometers long. The price for 5kg is 80 yuan, for 10kg it is 150 yuan, and for 15kg it is 230 yuan. In this way, if the luggage is 10 pounds, it is only 8 yuan per kilogram, which is much cheaper than the 20 yuan on the official website.

The reporter contacted another seller and inquired about the baggage check-in prices for international flights. The check-in prices for different international routes vary. Taking Asia Airlines as an example, for direct flights from Hangzhou to Bangkok, the price for baggage weighing less than 20 kilograms is 220 yuan, and for baggage weighing less than 25 kilograms, it is 250 yuan. If flying from Hangzhou to Kuala Lumpur, the shipping price for goods weighing less than 20 kilograms is 500 yuan, and for goods weighing less than 25 kilograms it is 630 yuan. There is no limit on the number of checked baggage on two routes.

The reporter also inquired about the baggage allowance price for Spring and Autumn Airlines. The seller told the reporter that for luggage within 1000 to 2000 kilometers, the price for 5 kilograms is 60 yuan, for 10 kilograms it is 110 yuan, and for 20 kilograms it is 220 yuan, with no limit on the number of pieces.

Compared to the online prices of Spring Airlines, the maximum weight of each piece of luggage does not exceed 20 kilograms, and the charging standard is 50 yuan per piece. If it exceeds 20 kilograms, an additional 10 yuan will be charged per kilogram. In contrast, it is still cheaper on the official website. In addition, the Spring and Autumn official website implements a multi ticket system for air tickets, with multiple prices for each ticket. The biggest difference is whether it includes checked baggage, which passengers can purchase as needed.

Previously reported: Overweight hand luggage will also be charged! Luggage charges may become a trend in the civil aviation industry

I bought a ticket with no baggage allowance on "budget airline" and boarded the plane with my hand luggage. However, I passed the security check but couldn't board the plane because my hand luggage was overweight.

According to a survey by Chao News reporters, "luggage charges" may become a trend in the entire civil aviation industry.

Handluggage weighing over 7 kilograms will be charged

On June 28th, a netizen revealed that at the boarding gate of a low-cost airline in Xiaoshan Airport, Hangzhou, staff intercepted passengers carrying random suitcases and demanded on-site weighing. Luggage that did not meet the regulations must pay a baggage fee before boarding the plane.

According to the investigation conducted by Chao News reporters, the passenger purchased a ticket for 1028 yuan, excluding free baggage allowance. On the day of on-site weighing, the passenger's hand luggage weighed 9.6 kilograms. According to the baggage refund price of 20 yuan per kilogram, the passenger needs to pay an additional 190 yuan for baggage check-in.

The Chao News reporter opened the website of this airline and found that the page displayed that the weight of a hand luggage cannot exceed 7 kilograms, and the size cannot exceed 20 * 30 * 40cm. As long as the luggage size and weight meet the regulations, it can be brought into the cabin for free. If it does not meet the requirements, if the ticket includes free checked baggage, it can be checked for free. If it does not include the baggage check in limit, an additional baggage check in fee needs to be paid.

Regarding this, the passenger is very puzzled that his hand luggage is within the specified size range and has also passed security checks. Should he be checked in even if he is overweight?

Free baggage check-in may end soon

At present, there are two types of domestic airlines: full service airlines and low-cost airlines, commonly known as low-cost airlines. The former includes all service items in the ticket price, while the latter breaks down services such as meals, luggage check-in, and additional insurance as auxiliary income, thereby reducing the ticket price.

The Chao News reporter interviewed airlines that allow passengers to purchase luggage services. The relevant person in charge told us that luggage check-in is no longer just the main way for low-cost airlines to supplement their revenue, and some full service companies have also joined in. On June 11th, American Airlines quietly updated some basic economy class baggage check-in policies on international routes, and began charging a fee of $75 for the first checked baggage. Previously, on long-distance routes, passengers could check in at least one piece of luggage for free, but this policy was implemented before the peak of summer tourism.

American Airlines has become the first major full-service airline in the United States to charge baggage fees for all basic economy class tickets, which may soon cause a ripple effect. For Chinese passengers, currently American Airlines only operates one flight from Dallas to Shanghai between China and the United States. Its competitors, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines, have not yet adjusted to the corresponding routes in China. However, these two airlines have also started implementing this fee program on all other long-distance routes.

Regarding this, the General Manager of Asia Airlines China introduced, "How low-cost airlines can reduce costs and increase efficiency has become the direction for global airlines to adjust. Many full service airlines are learning from this and packaging new businesses based on their own situation."

For example, "the heavier the aircraft, the greater the fuel consumption and the higher the operating cost of the aircraft. All costs have to be borne by passengers," a low-cost airline executive told reporters. "For example, on flights to Japan and South Korea, most passengers will purchase goods and often have oversized luggage. If you take a traditional full service airline, a passenger without luggage is equivalent to indirectly subsidizing the ticket price for passengers with luggage. However, if you choose a low-cost airline, you don't need to share the costs of other passengers, you only need to pay the ticket price."

Industry airline executives predict that luggage fees have become a very important source of revenue for global airlines and an increasingly important business growth point for airlines.

According to relevant data, global airline luggage revenue in 2022 was approximately $29 billion, an increase of 38.8% from $20.9 billion in 2021. This figure is expected to continue to grow in 2023 and is expected to exceed the highest level in 2019. In 2022, the revenue from air luggage check-in in the United States reached $1.4 billion. The boundary between "full service" and "low cost" will become increasingly blurred in the future, and airlines will continue to increase their proportion of auxiliary revenue.