pnqiad From India, joined May 2006, 579 posts, RR: 0 Posted (1 year 2 months 3 weeks 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 3271 times:
LH is increasing its free baggage allowance between US and India to 2 free checked bags in Y. Looks like competition from the gulf based carriers might be a factor.
Quote: For tickets issued on or after February 17th, 2012, the free baggage allowance for Lufthansa origins and destinations in USA, Canada and India for economy class has been increased to 2 checked pieces.
AFAIK - In addition to the likes of QR and EK, BA already has this in place for US-India traffic.
gr8circle From Canada, joined Dec 2005, 2987 posts, RR: 4 Reply 2, posted (1 year 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 2618 times:
Quoting pnqiad (Thread starter): AFAIK - In addition to the likes of QR and EK, BA already has this in place for US-India traffic.
So does 9W and probably AI too......
LH had this facility back in 2004 when I flew from BOM-YYZ......did they reduce it in between? AFAIK, most carriers do give the 2 bags allowance on India-US/Canada sectors.......it used to be 2 x 32kg, but around 2008, when oil prices went way up, most carriers reduced it to 2 x 23kg.....
jetblast From United States of America, joined Nov 2004, 1198 posts, RR: 11 Reply 3, posted (1 year 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 2611 times:
Quoting pnqiad (Thread starter): AFAIK - In addition to the likes of QR and EK, BA already has this in place for US-India traffic.
This is correct. Even when the baggage allowance for most international flights was changed to one, Y passengers traveling to India, West Africa, and I believe Brasil remained at a two-bag allowance.
Quote:
NEW DELHI: In a first action of its kind, the government has cracked the whip on foreign airlines charging obscenely high amounts from US-bound passengers for checking in more than one bag.
Till recently, US-bound economy class passengers were allowed to check in two bags of up to 23kg each. But last year, US airlines started charging for the second bag, a practice picked up by European carriers as well, as a result of which passengers ended up paying anywhere from Rs 4,000 to Rs 20,000 extra for a one-way passage.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked the US and European airlines to revert to the old practice of allowing two bags with weight limit and the latter have to reply by month-end. "This anti-passenger policy of some airlines will not be allowed to continue. The matter is being taken up under the existing air service agreements India has with countries (whose airlines have started levying the fee)," DGCA chief Bharat Bhushan said. Indian carriers flying to North America still allow two check-in bags.
...
Remember the controversy over this back in October?
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YTZ From Canada, joined Jun 2009, 1444 posts, RR: 23 Reply 7, posted (1 year 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 2049 times:
With the crappy aircraft they put on India routes, they should be offering something else in return. LH is one of the least comfortable ways to get to India. If you're going Star Alliance, TK is much, much better.
djb77 From UK - Scotland, joined Sep 2001, 214 posts, RR: 0 Reply 9, posted (1 year 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 2015 times:
This is good news. I was shocked recently when I last flew to Bangalore from Frankfurt with LH:
I was travelling Economy and had 10kgs too much (all work-related stuff.) I tried for an upgrade on miles, no luck, J was oversold. I was whacked €300 for excess baggage. On the return flight, I only had 10kg of luggage and, of course, my upgrade request came through.
If only it had been the other way around, the €300 could have been avoided...
leftyboarder From Turkey, joined Apr 2008, 655 posts, RR: 1 Reply 10, posted (1 year 2 months 3 weeks 5 days 2 hours ago) and read 1974 times:
Quoting YTZ (Reply 7): With the crappy aircraft they put on India routes, they should be offering something else in return. LH is one of the least comfortable ways to get to India. If you're going Star Alliance, TK is much, much better.
And of course TK already has 2x23kgs allowance. So that's just matching the competition for LH.
Hirnie From Germany, joined May 2004, 581 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (1 year 2 months 3 weeks 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 1769 times:
Quoting leftyboarder (Reply 10): Quoting YTZ (Reply 7):
With the crappy aircraft they put on India routes, they should be offering something else in return. LH is one of the least comfortable ways to get to India. If you're going Star Alliance, TK is much, much better.
And of course TK already has 2x23kgs allowance. So that's just matching the competition for LH.
ElPistolero From Canada, joined Feb 2012, 620 posts, RR: 2 Reply 12, posted (1 year 2 months 3 weeks 4 days 17 hours ago) and read 1586 times:
Quoting aeroblogger (Reply 4): LH didn't succumb to the gulf carriers. They succumbed to the DGCA.
Knowing India, one of these European airlines (the one that charges 150 euros!?) probably charged one of the Director General's acquaintances an obscene amount. I guess European airlines need to be careful about who they mess with .
It is kind of funny though, and kudos to the Indian government for standing up for consumers. The main issue here is probably pax ignorance and poor advertising. I doubt the airlines advertise the cost of the second bag clearly, beyond the generic "Additional Fees may apply". On the other hand. if they advertised it clearly - "Second bag will cost 150 euros", they wouldn't get the kind of people they apparently fleece at airports.
One has to remember that the Indian Y market is very price-sensitive and not quite as travel-savvy as their western counterparts. Most of the people affected negatively by things like this are VFR traffic who make month-plus long trips (hence the need for two bags) every 2 or 3 or 4 years. To them, these ridiculous fees can come as a genuine shock. Whose fault is it - the pax for not knowing, or the airline for not advertising it clearly (within the Indian context)? DGCA has decided that its the airlines responsibility to advertise clearly (refreshing, in this day and age). I suspect LH considered its options and decided that clarity of fees might affect it too adversely - easier to just offer the extra bag.
And why not. LH needs India more than India needs LH.
Quoting YTZ (Reply 7): With the crappy aircraft they put on India routes, they should be offering something else in return
Amen. In my books, LH is about as close to long-haul LCC as there possibly can be out there. Are they still flying non-AVOD aircraft to India? And that 31" seat pitch. And those (occassionally edible) kiddy meals they try to pass off as 'lunch' and 'dinner' in Y. I don't mind LH shorthaul in Europe - very efficient operation. But on longhaul in their 744s, they're ...well...an LCC in all but name.
Quoting Hirnie (Reply 11): And LH is making money, which TK doesn't
And yet none of it is invested in putting out a world-class product. Pity really. Even loss-making AC can put out a better product in Y than LH. More seat pitch, better IFE etc etc.
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