Hovite

So, you want to fly somewhere internationally, and you choose Economy Class. In the pre-pandemic days your fare included 20kg checked in baggage allowance. I recall they increased the limit to 30kg at one time. You think, OK economy fare I will book. Look closely at the three categories of Economy ticket. If you just take the basic YOU WILL HAVE NO, ZERO, CHECKED IN BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE! YES, ZERO, just like the budget airlines. We missed the small print and booked basic, NOW we have had to pay A LOT EXTRA for "Extra Baggage". A Scam. Other airlines might be employing the same trick to con people out of payig exhorbitant amounts for, what was once, the basic checked in luggage allowance!!!! Shame on you Malaysian Airlines!

Lion in Winter

I just noticed this, although I'm in a different part of the world. Every airline I've dealt recently with does this now - British Airways, Aer Lingus, and American. It seems to be pretty much standard practice these days. I am fully expecting them to start charging for a cabin bag, too, since the overhead lockers are often overcrowded and later boarders have to check their cabin bag since so many people are using them instead of paying for a checked bag. It isn't a scam, exactly, it's just the airlines trying to make more money, in the same way as they have jammed seats into the plane as though everybody were 5' tall and weighed 110 lbs.

Hovite

For me, it is a scam, a con. They were quick to publish covid rules but their home page is silent about this baggage charge. They should have been upfront and declared it upfront and loudly.
How many people have not spotted this trick. Many I expect. MAS are rubbing their hands with glee. Shame on them.

Lion in Winter

I'm not saying it's good or right, just that it has now become standard business practice. The first price you see is now always the lowest possible price, but when you click to actually choose a flight and ticket, the columns with the choices pop up with the details. Overall, the airline experience is now distinctly sub par all round. I doubt they are trying to make money off people not seeing that; it's more likely that they are making money off people actually seeing it and then accepting the higher ticket price because they are not in a position to travel without luggage.

spouse of scouse

We could just wear all our clothes, that'd work wouldn't it?

Lion in Winter

Well other than the problem of the seats being sized for four-year-olds.

Pollyana

Its not universal though. For instance the majority of British Airways flights still have a free baggage allowance, same with Qantas, same with Cathay Pacific and Singapore.

scrubbedexpat142

One solution is to scrap the LCC principle and go back to full fares.
This would seriously impede the travel opportunities for many but would improve the "customer experience" for those who can afford it, including more generous seating allowances.

However, another side of the coin is why should one pay for luggage not carried (I have done a lot of short haul without luggage)?

As for cabin baggage, airlines need to be a lot tougher about policing what is, and is not reasonable.

One beauty of the little Jetstreams I used to catch between the UK & Brussels was the lack of overhead lockers, even briefcases went into the hold! Boarding & disembarking was so much quicker & easier.

As regards the OP I haven't flown MAS but surely like most, the on line booking process takes you through the "extras" process before you can finalise the booking - daft of MAS if they don't, it's their opportunity to increase the cost - without (appearing) to con anybody.

Pulaski

If facing unreasonable baggage fees, you should look into sending your luggage by UPS, or some similar parcel or excess baggage service. We have only done this on one trip so far, but I expect we will do this more in future, even if the cost is the same, or even more than the fees the airline wants to charge, as it allows us to travel with only small carry-ons of overnight essentials, and not have to deal with suitcases going to and from the airports, wait for luggage at the carousel, etc.

The most cost effective way to send luggage is if there is a convenient office/ depot to send/collect your luggage from, rather than have it picked up and delievered from/to your hotel or home.

christmasoompa

It was introduced a couple of years ago, they may well have declared it upfront and loudly back then. As above, many other airlines have been doing the same for years unfortunately, it seems to be the way air travel is going. Luckily I always pack lightly, I've managed a week's holiday with just hand luggage before.

Lion in Winter

Must be different in different parts of the world. All the BA transatlantic flights offer "economy " priced tickets both with and without checked hold baggage. I've never flown Cathay, sadly. They're supposed to be good.

ssoomro

Unfortunately this kinda shady dealing is now common place ... most airlines now offer Economy Class in multiple 'permutations" ... Basic, Regular and Enhanced...basically a way to nickle and dime you.. of course most personal (as opposed to Business) travelers prefer to pay as little as possible. So the search engines offer u "basic Economy"...but when u go to buy the ticket itself.. you are confronted with these choices.. Basic Economy is soooo barebones.. its hard for most ppl to suffer it .. no seat selection, low or no baggage allowance (may be extra charges to breath coming soon) .. that is good old bait and switch ..caveat emptor

Partly this has come from enormous pressure from Economy Carriers.. partly from desire to squeeze every dollar out of the passenger..partly from fuel/other charges .. but these are the new realities and I dont see this trend reversing anytime soon .. On the flip side .. travel is more affordable.. accessible to more ppl than ever..

Times are a changing .. ..

scrubbedexpat142

Simple solution - stop buying on price, seek quality & pay for it!

Pulaski

The problem is that when the primary service being sold is to be taken from A to B, and from B back to A a week or two later, and everything else is just fluff, I, and I think many other people, struggle to justify in my own mind paying a substantial additional sum merely for the use of a more comfy chair, and to have transport of a suit case included.

So to my previous point above, I'd pay to ship my suitcase, because I would get other benefits (not having to lug it to the airport, or wait for it at the carousel), but IMO charging a checked baggage fee is just a poke in the eye!

scrubbedexpat142

Is that not a tad contradictory? You object to paying for transport of a suit case (by the airline) and then advocate paying another party to transport your suitcase.

The point here is that baggage costs the airlines money, money they are entitled to recoup.

Before retiring I did a heck of a lot of short haul flying, glad that I wasn't paying for somebody's else's baggage!

Of course, if, for some reason, you don't want your baggage to go through the airport system, then...