United Airlines announced on Thursday that it will begin charging customers for a second checked bag on routes to Europe. With that, "the lone U.S. carrier to buck the trend of charging international passengers to check luggage … is joining the fee-for-all," the Chicago Tribune writes. The paper notes that "every other major U.S. carrier has unveiled luggage fees on trans-Atlantic flights this year, seeking to raise revenue, recover money lost through discounting and to offset a falloff in business-class travel."
As for United's new charge, Reuters says "passengers flying trans-Atlantic routes will pay $50 for a second bag at the airport or $45 if purchased on the carrier's website. This applies on routes going from the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean to Europe and back. Passengers flying trans-Atlantic routes will pay $50 for a second bag at the airport or $45 if purchased on the carrier's website. This applies on routes going from the United States, Mexico and the Caribbean to Europe and back."
As is typically the case, some customers will be exempt from the fee. Elite-level frequent-fliers, customers on premium-fare tickets and active U.S. military traveling on orders will not be subject to the charge. The Wall Street Journal adds that US Airways, Continental, American and Delta "already have announced similar fees. American, unlike United, hasn't added the second-bag fee on its flights to Moscow. US Airways charges $55 for the second bag at the airport, or $50 if the traveler checks in on its Web site. Continental excludes Brazil from its $25 fee for the second checked bag on trips (to) Europe and Latin America."
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