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Forums > Airfare Comments > Airline Problems
Subject: Exhorbitant Charge for extra 20 lbs.
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Author Messages
joel
Posts:3
AFWD Newbie
08/08/2007 1:54 AM  
I was hijacked by United Airlines - stuck up and robbed in full daylight.

Prior to my trip to Germany, I checked with them and they said I could pay $50 for an extra 20 lbs on each of my two suitcases. Or, I could bring a third suitcase and pay $127 for it.

When I showed up at the airport - MFR - they asked me for $335 per suitcase for the 20 lb overweight charge!!!!!

I didn't know what to do. They had me and would not listen to reason - heck, I could have brought almost three extra bags for $335, how could it make sense to pay that much for 20 extra pounds?

I was upset, sad, afraid of spending so much.... finally the agent whispered - shove everything into one suitcase and I'll only charge you for one. So he charged me $381 for one overweight bag (it was now 31 pounds over). I put the rest in my carry-on and even threw away some stuff.

What a bummer and now, I've submitted my complaint to United with no response.

Any suggestions to get a refund for what is fair?

How can I avoid this kind of hijack from these greedy airlines who stick us up when we're most vulnerable???


Jill Gott
Posts:303
AFWD Master
08/08/2007 10:54 AM  
This is what I do anymore....most airlines permit you to email them with various questions online at their web site. So, email them instead of calling then you have it in writing! (even if you are forced to pay you have something that will get you your money back later, quicker.......) At the airport ask for a supervisor. I had great success with Delta recently getting a cash refund on a non-refundable ticket for my uncle. I emailed them.........
joel
Posts:3
AFWD Newbie
08/08/2007 10:57 AM  
Thanks - that's a good idea.

I did ask for a supervisor and she was not helpful at all.
All she did is point to the rules they had on the computer.... they were like robots with no ability to reason.

I'll do the email next time. As for this time, I haven't heard back from United and it's been almost 3 weeks.
Patrick
Posts:12
AFWD Active Member
12/31/2007 1:39 AM  
Where your bags overweight and oversized? I know that depending on connections on International flights that they may charge higher fee's, but that does sound extreme to me.

-Patrick
Cary C
Posts:3
AFWD Newbie
05/20/2008 10:51 PM  
Folks, these are times where anything that is outside the norm will cost you. With Fuel costing the airlines a small fortune, anything outside the norm will cost you. The only people that get a break are the frequent fliers in the particular airline. If you can pull of the hat trick. Get good status with one of the airlines. Then take that status to the other airlines and let them know you would strongly consider flying with their airline if you had the same status with their airline. For them this is a win win situation. You are happy, you are flying their airline and you get treated a bit better than the average flier as you have status with that airline. You can do this with more than one airline at a time. I happen to have status with NWA and AA right now. I used the top tier AA to get top tier with NWA.

As for the comments about being very difficult to use the NWA points. I do not agree. I have been able to use the points. You have to read the fine print and also use your points wisely.

I have points in hotel chains, airlines and rental car facilities.

When you are a road warrior you learn these things. You have to be wise about using these points.

I have had a 4 year stretch where I had enough points to fly to the inlaws and my family for each holiday Thanksgiving and Christmas and get the hotel under points as well as free rental car. It can be done. But you have to fly every week for 40+ weeks to have these kinds of balances.
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Forums > Airfare Comments > Airline Problems > Exhorbitant Charge for extra 20 lbs.


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