Airlines are restructuring baggage fee policies, with carriers like Southwest boosting profits through fee changes and United overhauling checked bag eligibility. Search platforms no longer display these fees upfront, while mishandling costs remain substantial despite improvements.
·Flight search engines removed baggage fee visibility during bookings
·United Airlines changed which passengers fly free after checked bag fee overhaul
·Southwest's baggage fee restructuring increased profits despite industry warnings
·Baggage mishandling incidents dropped 23% but still cost airlines $6.3 billion annually
·Travel strategies and credit card options help consumers avoid or reduce checked bag charges
drawn from NerdWallet, Yahoo Creators, Simple Flying, AOL.com · updated 10h ago