azscubadude
Contributor
My last trip to Cozumel was at the end of March 2011. At the time I was overweight on my dive bag and because of some new camera equipment I purchased and couldn't spread out to the other bags. So I had to pay Continental Airlines the overweight charge of $50.00 on my one bag. I knew I was overweight by about 9 pounds and paid the $50.00 each way.
So now, three months later, I'm looking at another trip and went to check the flights. Seeing the warning links in the booking windows concerning baggage I thought I had better check them out in case I couldn't get my bag back to 50 pounds.
Low and behold, the overweight baggage charges are now $200.00 each (and each way) for any bag between 51 and 70 pounds and $400.00 each (and each way) for any bag over 70 pounds.
I couldn't believe they had quadrupled their charges from $50.00 in March to $200.00 now for 51 pounds and up. So I called Continental just to make sure I was reading it right because the wording on their website says, quote.. "will be charged at the rate of up to $200.00 per piece depending on the destination". The words "depending on the destination" were unclear to me so when I talked to the agent she said that for Mexico and the whole Caribbean the charge is a flat $200.00 for 51 pounds and up and that the "depending" doesn't count to those destinations.
I've seen many people spreading their luggage out on the floor next to the ticket agent booth trying to get their checked bags under 50 pounds so they don't have to pay the old $50.00 charge. It will now cost you $200.00.
So be forewarned, the screws are tightening.
So now, three months later, I'm looking at another trip and went to check the flights. Seeing the warning links in the booking windows concerning baggage I thought I had better check them out in case I couldn't get my bag back to 50 pounds.
Low and behold, the overweight baggage charges are now $200.00 each (and each way) for any bag between 51 and 70 pounds and $400.00 each (and each way) for any bag over 70 pounds.
I couldn't believe they had quadrupled their charges from $50.00 in March to $200.00 now for 51 pounds and up. So I called Continental just to make sure I was reading it right because the wording on their website says, quote.. "will be charged at the rate of up to $200.00 per piece depending on the destination". The words "depending on the destination" were unclear to me so when I talked to the agent she said that for Mexico and the whole Caribbean the charge is a flat $200.00 for 51 pounds and up and that the "depending" doesn't count to those destinations.
I've seen many people spreading their luggage out on the floor next to the ticket agent booth trying to get their checked bags under 50 pounds so they don't have to pay the old $50.00 charge. It will now cost you $200.00.
So be forewarned, the screws are tightening.