BA considering new charges for sports equipment

British Airways is talking about charging its passengers to carry golf clubs, skis and other sports equipment, following the example of some no-frills carriers.

The airline’s chief executive, Willie Walsh, said that the carrier was considering this option, in remarks he made at a meeting of budget airlines in London earlier this week.

Ryanair currently charges £64 on a return ticket for sports equipment, and easyJet has a £50 levy.

BA hasn’t set a fee yet, although a charge of £25 has been under consideration.

A spokeswoman for the Ski Club of Great Britain commented that the proposed charge could make travelling on British Airways a less-attractive option for some holidaymakers. She did acknowledge however: “A few airlines do charge for equipment, like easyJet and Ryanair.”

She continued by saying: “Those people who have been taking BA because they could bring their equipment for free might look at other options. Swiss doesn’t charge and…some might even thing of taking the Eurostar.”

The fact that British Airways is considering adding these new charges is a further indication of the continuing cash problems faced by the industry, with operating expenses reaching record levels this year.

Thanks to www.telegraph.co.uk for the above quotes, for more information on this article please visit their website.

www.britishairways.com