Delta adds fee for first checked bag

Delta Air Lines will begin charging $15 to passengers for their first checked bag and $25 for a second checked bag on domestic flights, the Atlanta-based airline announced Wednesday.

But it’s also dropping a fuel surcharge for frequent flier award tickets, as well as a $3 fee for curbside check-in.

The new first-checked-bag fee goes into effect immediately for new bookings for travel Dec. 5 or later. People with advance bookings made prior to Wednesday will not have to pay the first-bag fee, regardless of dates of travel..

Until now, Delta was one of the only major airlines with no fee for a first checked bag, although it charged $50 for a second checked bag. Dallas-based Southwest Airlines, unlike other major carriers, still allows two checked bags without a fee but does not fly to Atlanta.

When Delta added a fee for checking a second bag, which became effective May 1, it cited rising fuel costs. But after a precipitous drop in oil prices in recent weeks, the airline this time cited a competitive motivation.

“Customers are not differentiating Delta as the only major airline not charging a first checked bag,” Delta’s chief operating officer Steve Gorman said in a written statement.

The company made the move as it changed some fees to match Northwest Airlines. Delta and Northwest closed their merger last week, creating the world’s largest airline. Northwest already charges for the first checked bag.

AirTran Airways chief executive Bob Fornaro has expressed interest in a first-checked-bag fee more than once.

He said last month the airline has the programming in place to start charging the fee, but had not done it because Delta, the primary competitor at its Atlanta hub, had not yet implemented the fee.

Now, Orlando-based AirTran is studying the matter and will probably take a few days to evaluate it, said AirTran spokesman Tad Hutcheson on Wednesday.

At Delta, first-class and business-class passengers will be exempt from fees for the first three bags up to 70 pounds each, while SkyMiles Medallion members and WorldPerks elite members in coach class will be exempt from fees for the first two checked bags up to 70 pounds each.

International travelers and those who paid full “Y” coach-class fares can check two bags up to 50 pounds each for free.

Delta said most of Northwest’s other baggage policies and fees will be aligned to Delta’s structure as of Dec. 5.

In other fee changes to match Northwest, Delta said it will eliminate its $3 fee for curbside check-in effective Dec. 5; cut fees for phone reservations to $20 from $25, effective today; and eliminate fuel surcharges for frequent-flier award tickets.

 BAGGAGE FEES
Delta's new baggage fees effective Wednesday for travel Dec. 5 or later:

Travel within the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico:
Bag 1 ........$15
Bag 2 ........$25
Bag 3 ........$125
Bags 4-10 ....$200 each

Weight fees for U.S. domestic travel
51-70 lbs.....$90 each
71-100 lbs. ..$175 each
Over 100 lbs. Not permitted

Travel outside the United States, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico -
Bag 3 ........$200
Bags 4-5......$350 each
Bags 6-10 ....$600 each
(Passengers traveling internationally can check two bags for free)

Weight fees for travel outside the U.S.
51-70 lbs.....$150 each
71-100 lbs. ..$300 each
Over 100 lbs. Not permitted

*Those who bought Delta tickets by Wednesday can still check one bag for free but will be charged $50 for a second checked bag under Delta's previous baggage policy. Additional fees apply for exceeding size limits and for some special items. No more than four checked bags are allowed on Delta Connection flights. First class, business class, SkyMiles Medallion members and WorldPerks Elite members are exempt from some checked bag fees.