ATLANTA — Low-cost carrier Spirit Airlines, which serves the Atlanta area, announced it will charge travelers for their carry-on bags.
A number of airlines have started charging customers to check bags or purchase snacks, but Spirit appears to be the first to charge for carry-on items that passengers would place in overhead bins. Spirit, which said it is also lowering its fares, will not charge for so called “personal items” that fit under the seat in front of a passenger.
In a news release, the airline said it is instituting the charge “in order to continue reducing fares even further and offering customers the option of paying only for the services they want and use rather than subsidizing the choices of others.” Fees to check a bag range from $20 (for the airline’s club members) to $30 in advance and $45 at the gate, the airline said.
“In addition to lowering fares even further, this will reduce the number of carry-on bags, which will improve inflight safety and efficiency by speeding up the boarding and deplaning process, all of which ultimately improve the overall customer experience,” Spirit’s Chief Operating Officer Ken McKenzie said in a news release. “Bring less; pay less. It’s simple.”
Critics, however, met the announcement with frustration.
“With fees like this, airlines have crossed the line,” USA Today quoted Anne Banas, executive editor of SmarterTravel, as saying. “I get charging for pillows and blankets … but carry-on bags are fundamental. Who travels with nothing?”
