TUI Travel considers adding a checked baggage fee for several of its flights

TUI Travel has announced that they are contemplating adding a fee for checked baggage on some of its flights.  This move is not a new one as several other airlines in the industry have already begun adding fees for those customers that wish to check baggage on their flights.  What makes TUI Travel’s announcement different is that they are trying to decrease the carbon footprint of the airplane versus collecting extra revenue to help offset costs such as the increasing fuel cost. 

A spokesperson for TUI travel said in a statement “We’ve talked about having lower luggage allowances, but we want to do it for the right reasons - environmental reasons, not as an extra revenue stream.  We’ve got to get people to think about what they pack. In our experience a third of what’s in most suitcases could be left at home. If we reduce the allowance, it’s a carrot rather than a stick approach: ‘You bring less luggage and we’ll charge you less.’”

James Fremantle is one person that likes the environmentally idea.  Fremantle, who is with the Air Transport Users said, “I’d take the environmental arguments with a pinch of salt as the effect of not taking a bit of extra luggage is so minimal on the weight on planes. I hope they think again. It’s not like taking a Ryanair flight for a weekend away. People need more luggage for a week away.”

http://www.tuitravelplc.com/tuitravel/