Aer Lingus has become the latest airline to introduce charges to check-in baggage on its short-haul routes.
A €4 per bag fee will apply if booked in advance on the Aer Lingus website, with an €8 per bag charge applying at the airport. The charges will come into effect on short-haul routes for bookings made after August 8 for travel after January 17 2007.
The airline says it will allow short-haul passengers 20kg for checked-in baggage, with an allowance of 36kg for passengers on long-haul routes. Charges for excess baggage will remain at €8 per kilo for luggage above these amounts.
Earlier this year, Ryanair introduced similar luggage charges, with fees of €3.50 per bag, per flight if booked online or €7 per bag at the airport.
Aer Lingus is also introducing web check-in from early December 2006. This will allow passengers to check in up to 24 hours before their scheduled flight. The move is aimed at speeding up passenger movement through the airports. Passengers will also be able to select their seats online.
Aer Lingus commercial director Enda Corneille said baggage charges were becoming standard in the short-haul market. 'We also believe that our baggage policy will enable the airline to save costs as a result of lower handling fees at airport, the impact of which will ultimately be passed on to the passenger in the form of lower fares,' he added.
BMI, which operates from Dublin to London Heathrow, also said today that its online check-in service for passengers with hand baggage only was now operating fully. It is also introducing a fast track security lane for its business class passengers on the Dublin-London route.
