Alex on… KLM’s checked luggage fees

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Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 52 total)

  • LuganoPirate
    Participant

    I don’t think so Vertrek, I believe Easyjet do this already?


    Edski777
    Participant

    Canucklad: if you’re travelling from Canada onwards to a destination in Europe nothing changes for you. Your luggage, in economy that is, will be included in the ticket price all the way to/from your destination. The new policy at KLM is only intra-Europe.

    KLM is also lowering their ticket price to a number of destinations to be included in their € 99 scheme. Making it more interesting for those of us travelling without hold luggage.

    FFP and premium cabin travellers are exempt from this policy.

    Yes, it looks to me like an LCC operation, but apparently you still get the full service with some food and a drink on board. I guess their marketing people have been researching this and consider this a viable option for short haul travel.

    I agree with your comment about our most powerful weapon: cash, but in my case it’s the company’s cash I’m spending and they are becoming more and more cost conscious. I surely don’t want to end up on board Ryanair or Easyjet. That would be another step down for me.


    Vertrek
    Participant

    Hi Lugano,

    To be honest I have no idea about EasyJet as I have never flown EasyJet… only flew RyanAir once.

    I do actually kinda like your idea, to deduct the things that one does not need from the total price on the payment page. However, people might be put off when they see the initial total price, for example EUR 150 to London on the “availability” page and they might quit the booking screen straight away. perhaps that’s why KL try to avoid.

    ——————

    To all,

    But guys, if you are a flying blue members you need not to pay, even at ivory level. So, you can just sign up for one and not only your ticket price get cheaper, E99, you’ll also get a free checked in luggage. Double benefit. =)

    I thought it was a bad move by KLM but actually, nothing has really changed, one just need an FB card to be exempted for paying. Think of it as an inner circle and exclusive benefit for being FB members. =)

    I agree with those who said that this KLM move is the future of short haul air travel in EU. Soon BA, LX, LH and the rest will follow, it is just a matter of time.


    Edski777
    Participant

    Quite right, Vertrek

    Actually, those with an FB card are really benefiting. Lower fares! Nothing else changes.

    Just not sure if all other legacy carriers will follow as intra-European flights are still bleeders for most of them.


    TimFitzgeraldTC
    Participant

    With the amunt of exemptions in place for those travelling with baggage – is it really worth charging for it in the first place as it seems so few people will actually pay. It seems to be creating a lot of anti-KLM sentiment but if only 10-30% of people pay (I have no idea what the stats will be but I guess that they attempted to figure it out) is it worth the grief they are going to get. The exemptions no doubt will change in future but it seems to me like a lof of faff in the way they are doing it


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    I’m not certain it is the future.

    British Airways has recently increased its free checked baggage allowance to 2x23kg on most London City Flights, though it’s unclear whether this is permanent:

    http://www.britishairways.com/travel/london-city-airport/public/en_gb


    excessbaggage
    Participant

    Unclear indeed – the T&Cs link on that page talks of bookings needing to be made by 30/11/12, for travel by the end of January, so BA either needs to get rid of the offer wording or amend the T&C dates.

    The fact that they still have an offer under the wording “Christmas Shopping and Baggage Offer” in mid-February is not great either!


    VintageKrug
    Participant

    Yes, it does seem to have expired on January 31:

    http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/ba-offers-additional-luggage-allowance-on-lcy-r

    The free 23kg economy allowance, and 2x32kg Club Europe allowance(2x32kg for BAEC Silvers and Golds, 3X32kg if connecting to longhaul) remains.


    Edski777
    Participant

    So KLM is going the other way. In stead of offering extra luggage allowance on certain specific routes they are lowering the price of a ticket and start charging for luggage.

    The competition seems to be heating up.

    The way I read this KLM is the first of the legacy carriers to go head to head with the LCCs.

    Interesting to see who will follow next and what the outcome will be.
    At least KLM is really trying to do something about the loss they are making on intra-European routes. I have not seen any other innovative idea from the legacy carriers.

    It’s called competition and ultimately it should benefit the traveller.


    TominScotland
    Participant

    Edski777, I think you are a bit unfair to LH and AF when you say “At least KLM is really trying to do something about the loss they are making on intra-European routes. I have not seen any other innovative idea from the legacy carriers.” I would have thought that Germanwings and Hop are fairly clear responses by these airlines to short-haul problems in Europe and the LCC challenge. Vueling is potentially a similar answer for IAG airlines as well.


    Edski777
    Participant

    Tom: By creating an LCC as a response to LCCs is not very innovative in my mind. It’s more like copying a business model and creating an LC airline next to your core business. KLM did that with Transavia.
    That AF, LH and BA have the same approach is only logical. The question is: what is their Unique Selling Point?

    I’m waiting for that novel idea that puts our trusted legacy carriers ahead again. So far they seem to be following the LCCs.

    We probably need some real entrepreneurs in this business again. A renewed call for another Laker or Branson?


    TominScotland
    Participant

    Charging for baggage is also LCC copycat behaviour, I would have thought??


    Edski777
    Participant

    I agree, but not with lowering the price of your tickets at the same time. That is a move we haven’t seen from many of the big boys.

    But then again: is lowering the price of tickets innovative? Only if you are the first and then only for so long. The price gap wears off pretty quickly.

    I’m looking for the real innovative idea. Something that really wows me.


    LuganoPirate
    Participant

    In all this, unless I’ve missed it, no mention is made of the weight allowance for the carry-on bag?

    I believe Easyjet allow any weight as long as you can lift it unaided into the bins but what about other carriers and in particular, KLM?

    I find the weight limit of 8 kgs imposed by LH, LX, and less with some other airlines, quite pathetic, though they rarely check, and I don’t see why 12 or 15 kgs could not be allowed. The bins from memory allow 42 kgs. I have a Samsonite which alone weighs 3.5 kgs. Add iPad, spare phone and chargers, GPS, wash bag, cigars and work papers and I’m at 8kgs and I’ve still not put in any clothes!!!

    And what if there is no space in the bins and the bag has to go in the hold – will the pax then be charged?


    Henkel.Trocken
    Participant

    Time will tell whether KLM make a success of this or not. They are clearly thinking differently about operation of mainline services rather than the LH solution with Germanwings or the AF solution with HOP.

    As long as they are up front with this I don’t think people will object. Most people who travel in short haul economy are also used to the low cost model and will think it quite normal.

    Whether pricing looks competative remains to be seen. It could be that on any given day KLM have virtually zero capacity LHR-AMS and BA have lots so BA will look like a better buy but if you had looked at the same day a few weeks before, KLM might have been cheaper.

Viewing 15 posts - 16 through 30 (of 52 total)
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