Since many airlines took away complimentary checked bags as part of the fare they’ve battled the problem of too many passengers cramming too much stuff in the overhead bins. It slows the boarding process, drives passengers a little crazy and creates more work for ground crew in the final minutes leading up to departure. But it also generates more revenue. That’s a tough line to walk. JetBlue is running a trial in Orlando for a new way to deal with that challenge.
Today passengers who get to the gate but are willing to check their “carry-on” bag can do so for free. But that means getting the bag through security and holding on to it until the gate opens and the agent makes the inevitable announcement. Or the travelers can pay the checked bag fee out at the counter and hand the bag off to the airline. There are plenty of passengers unwilling to pay $30 or more for that privilege. But what if it is only $5??
The company will now accept carry-on sized bags – 22″ x 14″ x 9″ and 25 pounds max – at the counter as checked luggage for only $5 rather than the full price. Will passengers bite?
Company spokesman Philip Stewart explains, “In an effort to streamline the travel experience, we hope customers will enjoy carrying fewer bags through security and a quicker boarding process at the gate. We look forward to gathering feedback on this trial from our customers and crewmembers.” No word on how long the trial will last.
To the point Stewart makes about speeding the security checkpoint and boarding process, JetBlue is not alone on that front. United Airlines is holding strong to its decision to not allow carry-on bags for its Basic Economy passengers, citing the departure delays caused by late gate-checked bags as a primary reason. Delta Air Lines gate agents can also be aggressive about checking all bags for the later main cabin boarding groups, citing limited overhead bin space. Passengers often take to Twitter to complain about the practice, where Delta indicates that it is all about getting flights out on time.
There is a risk of eroding some of the revenue generated by checked bag fees today, though that seems less likely as most passengers are carrying the smaller bags into the gate area, if not the plane. And there’s the risk of this being seen as yet another fee the airlines are making up to charge travelers. But this one truly is new and optional. And pretty cheap. That gives it a chance of not being such a problem for consumers to accept.
The option for the checked carry-on bag is separate from the other bag fees and allowances, meaning a small third checked bag under this rule could be a massive cost savings for a passenger.
And for those thinking that this is the first step towards charging for all carry-on bags or even just on the soon-to-be-unveiled revised fare families including a Basic Economy option, company executives have said more than once that they do not plan to go down that path. That could change, but such a tack seems unlikely at this point.
And if you’re packing light anyways, $5 to keep your toiletries in the bag rather than fighting with the TSA or mini bottles might not be such a bad deal.
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I can’t see many people paying for something they can get for free. The more likely result is people use this as a way to bring an extra carry-on-sized bag for just $5. Mostly likely, the increase in revenue will be minuscule, and even a possible decrease if people choose to bring 2 carry-ons and a backpack instead of 1 full-sized checked bag.
I spend a lot of time at the gates watching people race to use the free gate-check option when it is announced. Converting a few of those to paid would be a nice win for the company.
Yes, there’s the risk of pax carrying the second bag who should’ve paid more for one of them, but that’s usually overcome just by bringing both to the gate today, not by paying for one at the counter.
I guess I’m used to flying business routes where the gate agent has to announce several times that there will not be enough overhead space because no one wants to check their bag. Everyone wants to be able to walk off the plane and leave when they land. Maybe you are right about leisure routes where people might pay for the privilege of not having to watch their bags AND their children. Then again, are these the same routes that run out of overhead bin space? In any case, since this is optional, it’s really more of an additional service for a small fee, so no one should get upset about it. You’re basically paying someone $5 to carry your bag.
The difference is that a gate checked carry-on is then picked up right outside the door as you get off the plane. This $5 counter checked carry-on would need to be picked up at the luggage carousel. That’s what makes gate checking advantageous, the fee has nothing to do with it. Even if it was free I wouldn’t do counter-check because I don’t want to pick it up at baggage claim.
Not in this case. These gate-checked bags go to baggage claim. Same as when flying mainline on other US airlines, too.
AM GLAD THAT JET BLUE IT GOING TO CHARGE A SMALL FEE ON CARRYING ON BAGS BECAUSE LOTS OF PASSENGERS BRINGS BIG BAG . JUST ON SEPTEMBER 28 I WAS TRAVELING FORM SAN JUAN PUERTO RICO WITH MY EMOTIONAL PET AND I PUT MY PURSE IN A CONER OF THE HEAD BIN. AND A PASSENGER THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SITTING ON ROW 14 SHE WANTED ME TO REMOVE MY PURSE. BUT I LEFT MY PURSE WHERE IT WAS. THAT WHY AM GOING FOR CHARGING A FEE.
Your purse is supposed to go under the seat. Also, your caps lock key appears to be stuck.
Good luck.
Yup under the seat with your pet!
Except that after Ben Baldanza took over in 2017, JetBlue has consistently misplaced my baggage. Can you imagine if they did that to a bag that carries most people’s essential items? It’s not a matter of cost it’s a matter of trust. I have no trust in JetBlue and will never fly them.
Getting a seat on the board is hardly the same as taking over. But if you’re not flying them I guess it doesn’t matter so much anyways.
this has a lot of potential for good. The fact that it is OPTIONAL shouldn’t really bug people. You can still take your carry on through security if you’d like, but imagine having kids, strollers, an emotional support animal etc. That cheap option to take that bag off of your hands without having to cough up a large sum of money could be a breath of fresh air. I hate having to unload my carry on when going through TSA. When I hear that “Whose bag is this?” I just roll my eyes but understand the necessity.
I also work for JetBlue’s baggage handling, and those last minute 15-20 carry on bags that come flying down the chute affect the on time performance by a lot. If you don’t have the right amount of people to work a flight (JetBlue has a specific amount of bodies allowed to work per flight) you’re looking at a delayed departure for sure.
What is all this nonsense about support animals? Get them out of the cabin and into the hold in a cage where they belong or in a kennel back home. Guide animals sure but free pets? Gimme a break TPG (you encourage this)
I think it is a good idea. Not sure though if a lot of pax will take this carrot without a stick: if you check your carry on for $5, you can only bring a personal item onboard.
And anybody bringing more than 2 items and/or oversize/-weight ones has to gate-check for a fee.
Boarding in the US is out of control and needs to change…
But how many pax really want to be schlepping all their stuff rather than just not pay $30 for the privilege of not having to deal with it. I think there’s a decent sized population that will be happy to only have their personal item on board.
And, at least for JetBlue, there is no gate-check for a fee in play.
We have done some successful tests (JetBlue isn’t the first carrier charging for hand luggage) earlier this year with an European LCC-carrier. I can tell you out of experience that indeed a decent sized population is prepared to pay an additional fee (we tested with € 15.00).
JetBlue is definitely not the first. But it is the first to deliver a discounted, optional checked bag fee for smaller bags in the US market where it is focused.
In the tests you ran in Europe was it an optional fee?