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Tiger says carry on bag charges are on the cards
Friday, 9 April 2010
Singapore owned Tiger Airways seems determined to make itself the scapegoat of Australian domestic airlines, not only by agreeing to take part in one series, but two, of what I think is a cataclysmic PR exercise, the Channel 7 TV show Airways, but now saying that they are not ruling out charging passengers for carry-on baggage.
Just digressing onto Airways for a second, I can't imagine what came over Tiger. The first series trashing Tiger service, then the second series having the same result, with the show featuring a series of bungles and debacles, and some appalling passenger relations!
The number of people who have said to me, that after watching Airways they would never fly Tiger, is amazing.
In any case, a report in The Australian says that US airline Spirit is trying to increase revenue by charging $US45 ($A48) for carry-on luggage at the boarding gate or $US30 if passengers book ahead. This does not apply to personal items that can be stored under a seat, such as laptops and briefcases, and items such as umbrellas, cameras, infant nappy bags and strollers.
With extra charges for checked baggage becoming the norm most often based on weight, which is OK, I can't help but think that charging for carry-on bags is taking it all bit too far.
They will be charging for the clothes passengers wear next or how about asking if you have a had any food or drinks before boarding, as the weight of the food or drink will cost more - that is unless you make a pit stop first!
I have no issue with passengers being told that carry-on bags are too large or heavy and that they have to go in the hold, and I am sure we have all seen passengers try and board with suitcases the size of Manhattan that they cannot even get into the lockers, with the phrase "you pack it, you stack it" coming to mind!
In Australia all the low cost or budget carriers charge extra for checked baggage, based either on the fare, which may not include checked baggage or if you are over your allowance, and that is fair because at the end of the day heavy bags cost more fuel!
Tiger though has told the Australian that it wants to boost ancillary revenues, saying it won't rule anything out including charging for carry-on baggage, using the, "If you use less, you should pay less", and I suppose the opposite principle.
Over at Virgin Blue and Jetstar they both said they have no plans to charge for carry-on baggage - phew - and in fact Jetstar is reconfiguring its aircraft to provide more stowage for carry-on.
The choice is yours or your clients', with competition between the low cost carries set to intensify over the next few years, analysts are also still saying that there will be one domestic airline casualty and I wonder who that will be?
Tiger says carry on bag charges are on the cards
Friday, 9 April 2010
Singapore owned Tiger Airways seems determined to make itself the scapegoat of Australian domestic airlines, not only by agreeing to take part in one series, but two, of what I think is a cataclysmic PR exercise, the Channel 7 TV show Airways, but now saying that they are not ruling out charging passengers for carry-on baggage.
Just digressing onto Airways for a second, I can't imagine what came over Tiger. The first series trashing Tiger service, then the second series having the same result, with the show featuring a series of bungles and debacles, and some appalling passenger relations!
The number of people who have said to me, that after watching Airways they would never fly Tiger, is amazing.
In any case, a report in The Australian says that US airline Spirit is trying to increase revenue by charging $US45 ($A48) for carry-on luggage at the boarding gate or $US30 if passengers book ahead. This does not apply to personal items that can be stored under a seat, such as laptops and briefcases, and items such as umbrellas, cameras, infant nappy bags and strollers.
With extra charges for checked baggage becoming the norm most often based on weight, which is OK, I can't help but think that charging for carry-on bags is taking it all bit too far.
They will be charging for the clothes passengers wear next or how about asking if you have a had any food or drinks before boarding, as the weight of the food or drink will cost more - that is unless you make a pit stop first!
I have no issue with passengers being told that carry-on bags are too large or heavy and that they have to go in the hold, and I am sure we have all seen passengers try and board with suitcases the size of Manhattan that they cannot even get into the lockers, with the phrase "you pack it, you stack it" coming to mind!
In Australia all the low cost or budget carriers charge extra for checked baggage, based either on the fare, which may not include checked baggage or if you are over your allowance, and that is fair because at the end of the day heavy bags cost more fuel!
Tiger though has told the Australian that it wants to boost ancillary revenues, saying it won't rule anything out including charging for carry-on baggage, using the, "If you use less, you should pay less", and I suppose the opposite principle.
Over at Virgin Blue and Jetstar they both said they have no plans to charge for carry-on baggage - phew - and in fact Jetstar is reconfiguring its aircraft to provide more stowage for carry-on.
The choice is yours or your clients', with competition between the low cost carries set to intensify over the next few years, analysts are also still saying that there will be one domestic airline casualty and I wonder who that will be?
