FlyBe Hold Luggage Charges

StudentSaver_2

I got an email from FlyBe this morning stating that all bookings made with them from noon today (16/12/05) for flights from 1st Feb 06 will be subjct to a charge for checking-in hold luggage. For every bag you check in, they'll charge £2 (if you pay online before you leave your house) or £4 (if you pay at the airport). OK, they've increased the hand luggage allowance to 10kg and the hold luggage allowance to 25kg (momre than the other no-frills airlines), but what is everyone's opinion of this scheme? Personally I think it's no-frills gone too far. As I am a student I use no-frills airlines very regularly to travel from Newcastle-upon-Tyne to Belfast (FlyBe included). If I am going home for a Christmas/Easter holiday, I can't be expected to carry all my worldly goods in hand luggage! In my opinion, this will be the start of charging for something that has previously been included in the price (FlyBe aren't cheap compared to the other airlines, so I'm surprised they're the first off the mark).

LesD

Perhaps it's their way of introducing a subtle 'fuel surcharge'. I have been surprised that low-cost carriers haven't done something like that before.

We'll have to see if others follow suit. It'll make comparing fares more difficult but, like ebay postage charges, most people will just factor it in to the cost comparison.

pin

Well they are being upfront with the charges and not hiding it anywhere. The more load there is on an aircraft, the more fuel has to be consumed, therefore charging for checked bags is a way of compensating for this.

On a slightly OT note where I live (Jersey) and London there are only two direct services - Fly Be and BA. While Fly Be works out a bit cheaper than BA, Ba offer a 32Kg checked allowance and their excess charge is on £15 per extra bag weighing up to 32Kg.

gustav

Cant say i'm surprised by anything FlyBe do at the moment.
We had a call from them last week to say they would no longer be flying back from Malaga on Tuesdays and could not therefore provide the flight in January, which we booked in october.
Would we like to come back on thursday instead???

what a shambles.
We rebooked with BMIBaby instead, which was 20pounds cheaper, even only one month before the flight.

Still waiting for refund from FlyBe!

Woby_Tide

I imagine flybe aren't catering for one type of passenger(i.e a student travelling home), allegedly they are reducing the standard fares by £1 a sector at same time as offering the £2 hold luggage fare. Also I think it's fair to say that the majority of budget airlines are trying to encourage handlauggage only whether ot's noticeable or not. Reduce baggae handling charges probably give them the lee way to offer cheaper fares in first place

vincefenlon

i get a daily news feed about the tourism industry as i am studying and in the industry. Basically what they seem to say is that:
1) Most customers are business customers with hand luggage
2) Check-in takes longer with bags so why should everyone pay for the extra time that you spend at the desk.

Although they are increasing the hand luggage weight, it seems the time it takes aswell to get it from the check-in into the plane then having to wait around and if they lose it etc.

I agree if they are like 80% business but i doubt this, just wonder where its going to stop, after seeing this i can see people being weighed to see how much for fuel they should pay.