The airlines suck! New fees! Complain now!

[DandyDon]

While saving fuel and gaining revenue from overweight charges is part of the picture, reducing workplace injuries is another. Even when the limit for domestic flights was still 70# per bag max limit, some of the airlines I frequented would slap a bright orange "HEAVY" sticker on anything over 50#.

Yeah, and anyone who cannot handle a 70# bag safetly needs to find other work. It's been 40 years since I used to carry 2 - 100# feed sacks at once to save trips, but my god - 70#...?!

It's about revenue is all. But then, I've never ran an airline - I might think it was a good idea if I was in charge: Don't charge the passenegers with medium weight bags, but do charge those with heavy ones.

 

[Charlie99]

Yeah, and anyone who cannot handle a 70# bag safetly needs to find other work. It's been 40 years since I used to carry 2 - 100# feed sacks at once to save trips, but my god - 70#...?!

I'm sure that the airlines are lining up to call you as an expert witness in their workplace injury lawsuits and OSHA compliance hearings.

Seriously, OSHA has some rather convoluted rules on how much weight is allowed to be lifted; with lots of fudge factors such as how many times per minute, how many hours per day, whether the items are awkward or have designed lifting points, distance from the spine, and whether or not the person is optimally positioned or crawling around a cargo hold. The base starting number used to be 90 pounds, but is now 51.

A US airline would be foolish to ignore these rules.

Many airlines now require employees to do a two-man lift on any object heavier than 50 pounds, and don't allow any baggage on greater than 100#, not matter how much you are willing to pay.

 

[novicediver]

I work for Frontier handling bags and I often wonder what the hell is in some of the heavy bags. It often does seem that people are moving to their destinations. As for dandydon's comment, it sounds like a "I walked uphill both ways" kind of story. It isn't as easy as you think to pack the bin of a 737, 757, or Airbus A320 with 100+ bags while sitting on your knees. I am in good shape and like what I do but it does wear on you after awhile.

 

[MoonWrasse]

The Northwest regulation is not new -- it was in their rules at least six months ago. We have since taken two trips involving travel on Northwest with scuba gear and have not been subject to the charge, even though we brought a TANK home with us from Hawaii in August.

I can't imagine -- oh, actually I CAN; airlines are capable of anything -- an airline charging someone $80 for a pair of fins in their luggage.

And my regulator has gone as carry-on each time, without comment from Northwest, Korean Air, and Virgin Blue.

Funny thing is I just booked my flight to Bangkok on Northwest. Before I pay I'd like to make sure they don't intend to screw me over by charging me $160 extra to transport my fullset (minus tanks).

So does anyone have any bad scuba gear experiences with Northwest they'd care to share?

 

[DandyDon]

I work for Frontier handling bags and I often wonder what the hell is in some of the heavy bags. It often does seem that people are moving to their destinations. As for dandydon's comment, it sounds like a "I walked uphill both ways" kind of story. It isn't as easy as you think to pack the bin of a 737, 757, or Airbus A320 with 100+ bags while sitting on your knees. I am in good shape and like what I do but it does wear on you after awhile.

I stand corrected - sorry. I guess that could indeed be challenging... :blush:

 

[Jeff Toorish]

I think what is "new" about these regulations is the airlines no longer allow a free third checked bag of sports equipment. Actually, some airlines still do, but not Northwest or AA, obviously.

All the airlines, for the most part, allowed divers to check a third bag with SCUBA gear, although it had to adhere to the regular weight and size limits. Now your SCUBA gear must be one of your two checked bags or you will pay that 80 dollar fee.

Incidentally, I just flew back and forth to Mexico for an expedition with a complete SCUBA kit, clearly marked, and the AA didn't even charge me for being slightly overweight, let along an extra 80 bucks.

This is a change (that happened months ago) but it is really more along the lines of taking away a perk than penalizing divers.

Jeff

 

[1_T_Submariner]

I'm not an airline expert but, I flew last year from Chicago to Fla for $180 round trip can there be much profit in there to give away extras? I don't think so. The public has determined we want the CHEAPEST Fares period.
So the extras are disappearing. American Airlines is going to start charging for soft drinks. The Airlines already charge for extra baggage fees, booking fees and change fees for tickets. You are flying coach on the lowest bidder.
The airlines don't fly for fun they fly for profit.

Anyway just some thoughts...

 

[hinchu]

The airlines have been charging surfers to carry our surfboards for a long time as well. It does not surprise me they'd charge for scuba gear too. I've come to realize that any sport/recreation I love, the airlines probably have a charge for its equipment.

I'm very new to scuba, so I must ask out of ignorance, but why would someone want to bring a scuba tank on a trip. I can see bringing a regulator system, or your bcd, mask, fins, but a tank is a bit baffling to me. I can't imagine an airline would let you bring it on filled, so I wouldn't think compressed air quality would then be a reason for tank toting.

 

[MoonWrasse]

Perhaps a queston of DIN valve preference.

 

[JustinW]

With new weight restrictions I have resorted to other measures. Recently I was flying back from a hunt where we returned with (between 2 people) 200 pounds of venison. Small packages were packed in our checked luggage so that each piece came to 50 pounds. The rest went as carry-ons. Our carry-on pieces were probably around 80 pounds a piece. Just takes a bit of reshuffling to get by with the new rules. Its not that people are always moving somewhere, and indeed many people pack ridiculous stuff, but many times I am coming from somewhere where I have been hunting or fishing and I have meat with me. Especially on dive/fish trips where I have all of my dive gear plus fish.