Yapta Yapta Blog

The parade of airlines that have increased their baggage fees just got a little longer.  US Airways is raising fees for baggage checked online to $23 for the first bag, and $32 for the second bag. The fees had been $20 and $30, respectively, if prepaid at usairways.com before flights.  The new charges take effect for tickets purchased after Monday for travel beginning Feb. 1.

US Airways will continue to charge $25 for a first bag, and $35 for a second bag, for luggage checked at the airport. The airline said it was matching recent bag fee increases by Delta Airlines, Continental Airlines and United Airlines.

I know that US Air, Continental and United are all part of the same Star Alliance, but if they could somehow sync their fare increase announcements, they would appear less Lemming-like.  And for the record, American Airlines still charges $20 each way for a first bag, and $30 for the second. The first two checked bags are free on Southwest Airlines. The first checked bag is free on JetBlue Airways.

Here’s some more travel news you can use:

• The U.S. Transportation Department has hit United Airlines with a $30,000 fine for failing to include federal tax when it quoted some airfares on its Website.  For about two-and-a-half days, United omitted a 7.5 percent federal excise tax from some search results on its Web site.

• Seattle’s online travel community came together last evening for the second gathering of “SCOOT” – the Seattle Consortium of Online Travel.  A number of travel bloggers, journalists and representatives from travel organizations packed the Virgina V to hear Chris Elliott recount his recent run-in with the Transportation Security Administration.  Federal agents served subpoenas to Elliott and fellow blogger Steven Frischling on Dec. 29, looking for details on who leaked a security directive that the writers posted on their blogs.  The TSA eventually withdrew the subpoena after Elliott hired a lawyer to fight the demand and Frischling allowed them examine his computer.  It’s a very interesting story that illustrates what reporters go through to keep you informed.