Airline tickets are one of the largest expenses for any team; we thought this chart of baggage charges might be of some help:
Click here.
The best ? Easy. Southwest Airlines.
No first checked bag fee.
No second checked bag fee.
No change ticket fee.
No window or aisle seat fee.
No curbside check-in fee.
No phone reservation fee.
No snack fee.
No fuel surcharge.
If we sound like an advertisement for Southwest, then so be it. But that is quite a difference, the “no change ticket” charges especially, with most other airlines charging $150 for the privilege of changing your ticket PLUS the cost of a ticket if purchased that day. More often than not, if you need a change, you can toss the old ticket in the trash and start over. If you’re a team eliminated from a tournament, and flying home early, that’s a huge difference (including hotel rooms) if you booked on Southwest.
Airlines that charge even for your first bag:
American
Contintental
Northwest
Spirit
United
US Air
The worst? United Airlines, which just upped the charge for a second bag from $25 to $50. Add that to the $15 charge for your first bag, and it’s $65 for two bags – each way, or $130 on top of each plane ticket. How many ways can you spell outrageous? They’ve come up with another one too — they are now selling “Economy Plus” seats at the front of the coach section with extra leg room. Sounds good, huh? Give you three guesses where they got that legroom? You guessed it – they crammed the rest of the coach seats closer together. Find another place for your knees.