Be Selective When Choosing Airlines

Posted: December 01, 2010

Don't get caught with an empty wallet when traveling by air. Know what you're getting into. Bob Humphrey shares some sage advice.

[caption id="attachment_8037" align="alignleft"]© Mikael Damkier - Fotolia.com[/caption]By Bob Humphrey

Okay, we all agree that flying is no fun anymore. This is especially true for hunters, who need to carry enough gear for a week or more afield, plus a separate gun or bow case. Making that even more difficult and frustrating is trying to keep track of airline baggage policies. They vary from one airline to another, sometimes from one airport to another within the same airline, and seem to change almost daily. Some even have policies one might consider discriminatory toward hunters.

Let’s take U.S. Airways for example. On a domestic flight, your first checked bag will cost you $25. A second bag will cost you $35 ($25 + $35 = $60). And a third will cost you $100 (for a total of $160). However, you must also pay $50 extra for bags that weigh between 51-70 pounds and $100 extra for bags that weigh between 71- 100 pounds. These policies are consistent with most other airlines.

On a recent U.S. Airways flight through Portland International Jetport, I checked two bags: a duffel and a bow case, which should have cost me $25 + $35 = $60. However, I was informed by the ticket agent that my bow case was considered a “sporting item,” and therefore was subject to an additional $100 fee. I asked for a clarification and to my chagrin was informed that was indeed an added cost; so my total was $160, $25 for the first bag, $35 for the bow case and another $100 because it is a sporting item. I asked if that fee also applied to golf clubs or skis and the ticket agent replied, “No, just gun and bow cases.”

I have since flown with the same case on Delta, United, American and Continental and in each case my total baggage fees were right around $60. I was not subject to any sporting item or special item fees.

I pass this along as something you might want to consider if you have a choice when selecting airlines.

NOTE: Incidentally, in case you didn’t know, the reason the airlines charge extra baggage fees instead of raising ticket prices is because that makes it a fee rather than income, so they don’t have to pay taxes on it.