Flight passengers face scores of luggage charges

CONSUMERS hunting for cheap business or holiday flights face a bewildering array of charges, just for luggage.

Low fares airlines are charging passengers up to €10 per bag while others are carrying luggage for free with low rates for excess baggage.

Despite the national carrier Aer Lingus introducing baggage fees this week, passengers can still save money on flights if they shop around for the lowest prices. For example, Aer Lingus and BMIbaby charge €4 per bag up to 20kg for passengers paying luggage fees online and in advance.

The same fee with Ryanair is €4.50 per bag but only up to 15kg, while Aer Arann will carry bags for free up to 20kg.

Anyone going over the standard weight limit for bags with BMI, Aer Lingus or Ryanair has to pay €8 per kg with Aer Arann charging €5 per kg.

As a result, a passenger with 25kg of luggage with Aer Lingus or BMIbaby would pay €4 for the bag and €40 in excess weight fees, making a total of €44.

With Aer Arann the fee would be just €25 for the extra weight but, with Ryanair, the charge is €4.50 for the bag and €80 for the excess weight, a total of €84.50.

This makes Ryanair’s baggage fees 240% more expensive than Aer Arann and 92% higher than Aer Lingus or BMIbaby for one overweight bag.

In addition, passengers who failed to book their luggage online have to pay at the check-in desk with Aer Lingus and BMIbaby charging €8 per bag but Ryanair levying €10.

Despite baggage fees, passengers can save money by looking beyond the basic seat price of competing airlines and, instead, decide who will carry how much luggage and at what price.

For instance, the basic price of a seat on a flight from Cork to Manchester with BMIbaby is €15.99 and from Waterford to the same destination is €17.75 with Aer Arann.

BMI passengers, who booked online but failed to pay baggage fees in advance, would pay €15.99 for the flight, €8 per bag at the check-in desk, €8 in credit card fees and €20.18 in taxes, making a total of €52.17.

Aer Arann passengers pay €17.75 for the flight, €22.25 in taxes, €7 for credit cards and no charge for bags, making a total of €47, a saving of about 10%.

Similarly, passengers with sports gear can save money by deciding which airline has the best rates for carrying golf clubs or skis etc.

“The airlines are not offering anything extra to the consumer in return for baggage fees,” said Michael Kilcoyne of the Consumers’ Association of Ireland. “These new charges are just there to fleece consumers who should respond by flying with airlines which don’t charge for bags.”

Aer Lingus check-in staff last night voted to accept 10% commission rates arising from the new baggage charges.

The airline introduced the charges yesterday and check-in staff were given until last night to ballot on the proposals.