Many customers who are happy to take advantage of cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages remain frustrated by most airlines practice of charging passengers to check luggage.
A new U.S. Travel Association (USTA) reports recommends that Congress and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) require airlines to allow passengers to check at least one bag for free in order to reduce the number of bags going through airport security checkpoints.
Reasons that reducing the amount of luggage passing through checkpoints include:
1) The additional cost (estimated by TSA at one quarter of a billion dollars annually) of having to inspect luggage passengers carry-on to avoid having to pay to check bags.
2) The longer lines and additional time it is taking to get through airport security checkpoints because of the amount of luggage that has to be processed.
3) The hassle and delays experienced as passengers try to place more luggage into overhead bins then there is room to hold them.
The USTA wants to see the creation of a risk based trusted traveler program that would include international passengers. It sees a need to cut down on duplicative security screening for international arrivals.
USTA also wants TSA given authority over the entire checkpoint area.
The Air Transport Association of America has come out against USTAs first bag free proposal responding that dictating how airlines deliver and price their products and services diminishes customer choice and competitive differentiation among carriers and such a move benefits no one and unfortunately detracts from important aspects of their recommendations.
www.cheapfares.com