One Fallout From Long-Haul Battle on Airfares: No Free Checked Bag
Photo Credit: Legacy airlines, including Delta Air Lines, are adopting new pricing structures to compete with new entrants, including Wow Air. Wow Air
Skift Take
Low-fare airlines got there first. Now, big carriers are launching basic economy fares across the Atlantic. Expect some confusion as their customers figure out the rules.
As legacy airlines seek to compete with scrappy, low-cost competitors across the Atlantic, some are ending a traditional perk on their cheapest tickets — free checked luggage.
Beginning April 10, Delta, Air France/KLM and Alitalia are implementing basic economy fares for transatlantic flights that require passengers to pay for their first checked bag, and do not permit travelers to receive advanced seat assignments. Passengers who buy the fares also will board in the last zone, and cannot change their tickets for any reason.
The fares were announced in December. At the time, Delta said that the fares were available on half its flights from the U.S. and Canada to Europe. They have not been implemented to the Middle East, Africa or India.
This no-frills approach, which is being adopted by other carriers as well, including American Airlines, is a marked shift from the long-held assumption that passengers can check a bag for free on an international flight. But the transatlantic
