I realize that the fees airlines charge for checked baggage is mostly just revenue boosting, but there is a real cost to the airlines for handling that baggage. Has anyone seen an estimate of what it cost an airline to check a bag instead of having the passenger carry it on? Have airlines been able to reduce baggage handling staff or airport fees by charging for checked bags?
There is also fuel cost. The heavier the plane the more fuel needed.
I assume you mean that since they are charging for checked bags, fewer bags are being checked, thus resulting in lower costs. That appears to be implied in your statement.
It’s not so much that they can reduce staff, it’s that they can pay for the staff without officially raising their rates. There’s also the cost of running the baggage machinery.
There are also costs to carry-on baggage, namely space and safety considerations. So you’d have to look at both sides.
I’m guessing that that is true. To avoid fees, I have chosen to carry on bags I would have otherwise checked; I assume other people are doing the same.
I saves the airline nothing in fuel for my bag to be in the cabin instead of the hold, but presumably it saves them money not to hire someone to load and unload my bag. I’m just wondering if that expense is anywhere near the $15/bag fee they charge.
Lesser checked baggage might mean more space in the cargo compartment that could be used for freight shipments. So one “cost” is a reduction in freight revenues.
double post
More carry on bags could mean it takes longer to get on and off the plane. Which means they can’t have as many flights in a day.
There was a short time when all carry on bags were banned. I know a guy who flew that week and he said it was very fast getting off and on the plane.
As I understand it, part of the reason for instituting bag fees is that it’s a cost that they can “decouple” from the ticket cost. Thus, a consumer can look at Travelocity or Orbitz, and see that a flight on United (for example) costs $179. Since the consumer doesn’t have to check a bag, they don’t need to disclose the baggage fee (and they don’t, until you go to actually check into the flight.
Thus, they can effectively increase their income, without raising ticket prices (which are the most visible, and could affect a traveler’s decision to fly on Airline X versus Airline Y). Fees for bags, charging for in-flight food, etc., are all things that they can charge after the decision is made to travel with the airline.
It’s just a revenue booster. The “cost” of checked bags is built into running the airline as it doesn’t rise or fall with the economy as does food and fuel. It’s just another way for them to pick your pocket.