Canadian air travellers not happy this week.....

Ken,

I cannot see how the new policy differs from the old: checked baggage is still free when traveling further afield than Canada and the US. I have been paying $25 to check baggage to go to Florida for several years.

I have the opposite problem as you - I can easily pack one carry-on bag for a multi-week trip to Europe. I struggle when I fly south but that is because it generally is for a Caribbean cruise and I have some fancier attire and shoes to accommodate.

I read that Air Canada is cracking down on the size of carry-ons (making sure they are allowable size) and the agents, forced to follow the directive, are getting horribly abused.

I was wondering why this was 'new'...we flew to California last year with Air Canada (via Toronto) and had to pay $25 for our one and only checked bag. (We also had two carry-on). When we go to Europe, we only take a carry on/personal size, but usually end up visiting my sister before coming home and getting another bag for goodies that we end up checking - never paid a fee.

As annoying as it is, at the end of the day, what's $25 when you are spending thousands on a trip. But I do hate the nickel and diming - and you think prices would be adjusted down some since gas is the lowest in what - 4 years? And the jockeying for overhead bin space will be brutal.

I had to replace my carry on last year and got an Air Canada bag that 'fits' standard carry on size. On the plane to Cali, it fit fine wheels first, but going over to Europe this year, I had to put it in sideways - diff plane I guess. And I had some snarky woman say - 'Well, did you measure it?'...to which I replied - I've flown with it before with no issue (adding, so suck it, in my head).

@Andrea,

I'm not sure which part of this charge is "new"? I don't usually check luggage when travelling domestically with Air Canada (or other airlines) so don't remember if I've paid that in the past. I've been using AC on flights to Europe the past few years, and never really noticed if there was a charge for my one checked bag.

@Nicole,
I agree, $25 is not a huge amount when it's part of a trip that's costing several thousand dollars. It's just annoying that airlines are both increasing costs and reducing seat sizes and other services at the same time. Air travel is no fun anymore (at least for me), but simply a way to get from one place to another easily. If we had high speed rail here, I'd be using that as much as possible.

As much as I love sitting by the window and gazing down - flying is a necessary evil...that is one thing I love about Europe - the high speed trains. They go almost anywhere, and if they don't, most likely a bus will get you there. In NS here, I think VIA rail now comes thru 3 times a week, we did lose our Acadian Lines bus service, but Maritime Bus started up (we actually used them to get from the airport to home in Sept - timing worked out)...but public transport is abysmal.

We generally take our trips with only our carry-on - the ONLY reason we checked a bag when we went to Cali was because we were renting a car and knew we wouldn't have to schlep the bag on and off trains and whatnot.

But yeah - the squeezing you for every last loonie sucks...

I find that I really enjoy flying Horizon Airlines and their "Ala Cart" policy for carryons. Basically, the passengers become the baggage handlers. We carry our bags to a rack next to the plane and then board. The contents of the rack is loaded onto the plane by Alaska Airlines staff. When we arrive at the new location, the bags are unloaded and placed on a rack, where passengers grab their bag and make their way off into the airport within 5 minutes. I am doing a lot of baggage handling, but I end up at my destination with my bag and I get it quickly. I don't have to sit and watch people with ridiculous sized carryons try to cram them into spaces where they simply won't fit or will crush the other items already in there.

@Carol,

I use Horizon on a fairly regular basis, as they have easy one hour direct flights between here and Seattle. I also use their "Al la Cart" on every flight, as the supposedly "carry on size" bag that I've been using until now will not fit the overhead bins on the Q400 aircraft. They use the Al la Cart service whether passengers board on the tarmac or via a sky bridge. When a sky bridge is used, there's an opening in the side and the ramp crew puts the bags there on a small ledge. It's a good system and seems to work well. I believe Air Canada has a similar system.

Ken, the process for paying baggage is very transparent, so you would remember if you had. Basically, you are pulling out your credit card when you arrive at the airport. I notice that for my next AC flight to Florida in February, I can prepurchase my checked bags. Maybe that option was there before and I missed it, or maybe it is new. I will probably do that to reduce the number of lines to get through at Pearson, since I know I will have a checked bag.

I love that a la carte service as well. But doesn't it crack you up when the FA announces that you are to wait by the stop sign or whatever and have them bring the rack of bags to you? Can't you see the rush of passengers trying to off load the luggage from the baggage bay?

@Andrea,

I may have pulled out my credit card and paid the baggage fee in the past - I really don't remember? Usually when I book flights online for domestic travel, I only look at the total and not the individual charges. I book flights for Europe travel through my usual travel agency, and again I only look at the total. One of these days I'll try to look at the individual charges to see what I'm paying for.

Another update.....

WestJet has issued a NEWS RELEASE today announcing that they're thinking of using thinner seats to cram more passengers into the aircraft. In the article they mention the RyanAir practice of squeezing 200 seats into a 737 (I don't know why anybody would want to emulate RyanAir?).

WestJet seems to have broken with their tradition of following the Southwest model and using only one type of aircraft. In addition to the recent introduction of service using Q400 planes on regional feeder routes, they're also moving into 767-300 wide body aircraft for longer routes such as to Europe and Hawaii. They may be at some point be a good alternative for trips to Europe?

On another note and something I had intended to mention earlier.....

I spoke with some Canadian travellers (from B.C.) during the time I was in Croatia. They had flown to Europe with Air Canada Rouge, and were NOT happy with the level of service they encountered, including the comfort of the seats, the entertainment systems or the food. I can't remember all the details but it sounded like every aspect of the flight was dreadful from beginning to end. This seems to be supported by REVIEWS of AC Rouge. Based on what I heard, I WON'T be booking with them EVER, even if they do offer less expensive flights.

If you're dissatisfied, Ken, so will be many. If any airline (like RyanAir) gets a little greedy with extra charges, sometimes ridership will also suffer. That is unless their base airfares are ridiculously low.

I long ago quit checking in any luggage. When I came out of Prague 4/2015, I made the mistake of checking one bag. And I had to sit in a cheap airport hotel in Atlanta waiting 2 days for my 21" rolling bag to arrive--with my car keys in it.

@David,

" If any airline (like RyanAir) gets a little greedy with extra charges, sometimes ridership will also suffer."

I remember reading a news report earlier this year that about RyanAir. The report stated that they're apparently now getting concerned about their reputation, and announced plans to make themselves more "passenger friendly". That included making their website easier to use. I haven't heard yet whether their efforts have been successful.

I've never flown WestJet but was very tempted when they started offering flights from Nfld to Dublin - last month, I could have gotten round trip (Halifax via St John) for $650 all in for May 2015 - oh, my fingers were itching, but hubby wouldn't commit! Then I was checking really good prices with Air Canada to Europe - and noticed it was with Rouge. Hubby just had a co-worker fly with Rouge to Greece - he said it was awful - cramped, uncomfortable, poor service - and other reviews I read we pretty much echoing that sentiment - so I will def steer clear of that!

@Nicole P,

The comments you heard about Air Canada Rouge were much the same as the ones I heard from travellers, as mentioned above. I'll also be avoiding them completely, regardless of their prices. Their reviews are NOT good!

There's more to the story.....

At about the same time that Air Canada is announcing the new baggage charges, they've also just posted the highest profits in their 77 year history. The first thought that came to mind is "what's wrong with this picture". Interesting......

I happened to be browsing flights last night and noticed that the ONLY choice of AC flights to Hawaii are operated by Rouge. I used AC on my last trip to HNL, but won't be using them again on that route if that's the only choice. WestJet also doesn't appear to be a reasonable option any longer, as according to recent reviews their service has really deteriorated. Fortunately, there is a bright spot on the Horizon (pun intended).

Ken - Ryanair are doing very well.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-29876220

Plus a couple of quotes from their previously very rude CEO!

“If I had known being nicer to customers was going to work so well, I would have started many years ago.”

“As a result of this being nice to the customers, bookings and traffic are rising, and we’ve gone out and ordered another 200 aircraft in the last six months so we can double in size,” he said.

@Linda,

Thanks for posting that, as I wasn't aware of the comments by the RyanAir CEO. Despite the "new and friendly" RyanAir, I still don't plan on flying with them anytime soon. My preferred budget airline in Europe is EasyJet, and I try to use them whenever possible.

Although their profits have risen, apparently, RyanAir is not as "new and friendly" towards their employees.

First, let me preface this comment by saying I'm on a plane at least once a month, mostly United, but sometimes American, US Air, etc. But Air Canada appears to be cracking down on luggage size.

10 days ago, I flew from Montreal to San Francisco on Air Canada. Since my flight # was a United flight, I was unable to check in on line. While waiting in line to check in at the airport, I observed several people who were forced to check and pay for their carry-on roller since they did not fit into the allowed metal frame. When I checked in, the agent looked at my roller bag, but didn't ask me to "check" size so at that point was allowed to keep with me as carry-on. At the gate the gate agents made several announcements that if your bag did not fit into the "allowed" space, passengers would have to check their bags. They were walking up to anyone in the waiting area with a normal size roller bag and telling them to check or make sure the bag fit in the "sizer" frame. While the length (20") and width of my roller bag were fine, the depth of the frame was too deep to fit into the frame. And as far as carry on bags go, mine is on the smaller side and as always fits into overhead bins. So, I was forced to gate check (no charge). As others boarded, it was apparent that that they were not checking bags as people boarded as I saw bags that were thicker than mine. The overhead bins were 1/2 empty. The only annoying part was waiting an extra 30 minutes at baggage claim in San Francisco.

A month ago we flew back from London through Montreal on Air Canada with the same roller bags and had no issues.