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Spirit Airlines New Baggage Fees: Charge For Carry-On Bags
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by Amy Judd | April 6, 2010 at 07:16 pm
718 views | 10 Recommendations | 2 comments
Spirit Airlines Becomes First in United States to Charge for Carry-On Bags
You may now have to pay up to $45 each way on Spirit Airlines if you do not pay close attention to the size of your carry-on luggage when you book your ticket and before you get to the gate to board your flight.
Ben Baldanza, Spirit's chairman and chief executive said that these new fees will make boarding faster and easier as customers will not be able to bring bigger bags on board in the hope of avoiding checked baggage fees.
It is not uncommon to be charged to reserve a seat on lower budget airlines, but Spirit customers will have to adjust to these new fees and rule changes. Passengers are still allowed to carry on one bag that is no bigger than 16 inches by 14 inches by 12 inches; in other words, a bag that will fit under the seat in front of you.
Anything bigger and you have to pay.
If you are a member of the Spirit Fare Club, it will cost you $20 to carry on a bag in the overhead bin, but you have to pay the $39.95 yearly membership fee. If you are not a member, but plan to carry on a bag in the overhead compartment then it will cost you $30 if you pay that when you book your ticket. If you do not pay the charge and show up to the gate with a bag that won't fit under the seat in front of you or you show up with two carry-on items, it will cost you $45.
Passengers who have paid for carry-on bags will board first. Those that haven’t paid will be warned – their boarding pass will say “No Carry-On Bags.” Once the first group has boarded, it will be easy for gate agents to police the fee rule during boarding.
Travelers fear this is just a downward spiral to all other airlines charging for carry-on bags. Currently even the lower fee airlines in Europe, such as EasyJet and Ryanair, do not charge for carry-on baggage, but now they may.
Spirit passengers already pay for any checked baggage.
The new fees will go in to effect on August 1 2010.
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Most RecentMost Recommended Comments (2)
at 06:10 on April 7th, 2010
That it's too crazy for Ryanair to attempt should have been a loud-and-clear warning to Spirit.
Unless Spirit has some exclusive destinations (which they don't), this is not a wise move at all. A quick travel search shows Spirit on the upper end of ticket prices as it is.
It's better to just ignore Spirit Air in travel planning, since that extra money will be better spent on an airline with more straightforward carry-on rules.
at 08:55 on April 8th, 2010
This is a really BOLD move. Up to date, I have never flown Spirit because their airfare price plus the checked baggage fee put it out of the game. Another good reason not to travel Spirit. We, passengers, look up for the be$t deal$, not for companies name. In addition with all the airports regulations ALL airlines are secure and safe.