According to a recent Bloomberg article, the Feds want airlines to pay up for delayed bags. This fee refund is part of a set of proposed new rules. The aim is to make travel more fair by requiring airlines to refund checked bag fees if bags are significantly delayed. What “significantly delayed” means is anyone’s best guess.
According to Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx, the new protections are aimed at making forcing airlines to give passengers fair treatment and to force them to “play fair.” Airlines, of course, view these proposed new rules as steps towards re-regulation and are not pleased with them. It’s worth noting that in 2015 alone, U.S. airlines raked in $3.8 billion in checked-bag fees. And while instances of lost bags have decreased significantly over the decades, lost and delayed bags still occur frequently.
Yes, many frequent travelers swear by using carry-on bags only. But, traveling without a checked bag isn’t always practical for everyone. I, for one, always check a bag. Why? Because my carry-on bag and personal item are usually mostly filled with my camera gear. That, and last time I tried to carry-on my tripod, I was forced to check it as it’s a “security risk.” Even on short island hops around Hawaii I’ll check a bag. Why? Because the photography gear, yes, and because I like bringing stuff back that can’t be hand carried. Ever have Ohelo Berry jam on the Big Island? It’s great stuff! And you can’t really find it on Oahu. So not only do I have to buy for myself when I head over to the Big Island, but I need to resupply my family, too.
Beyond the argument of carry-on only or check-in, there’s the fact that airlines will simply makeup for the lost revenue another way. Many anticipates that airlines will increase their tickets prices if the new rules are adopted. This wouldn’t surprise me either. But then again, how often do you actually pay for checked bag fees? Most airline credit cards give you your first checked bag free anyway. Some are more generous than others… Hint hint Barclays/Bank of Hawaii HawaiianMiles World Elite MasterCard! So I’d guess that the majority of frequent travelers don’t pay fees already anyway. So is this rule aimed more at the likes of Frontier and Spirit?
So while I think the proposed new rule is well intentioned, I do believe it could have some unintended consequences. If history proves anything, this rule will likely cause more harm than goods. Airlines will always find a way to get what they want. And even if they don’t simply raise fees, perhaps you’ll see more pervasive use of other ancillary fees like seat assignment, aisle seat fees, etc. Heck, maybe someone will take Ryan Air’s proposed lavatory fee… Just kidding. Hopefully!