Sherman's Travel

United Airlines announced today that they are expanding their baggage delivery service by BagsVIP. The service (launched just a month ago) allows you to skip the hassle of baggage claim and instead have your bags delivered to your home, hotel, or final destination.

The service is only available to customers departing from domestic airports and arriving in one of 36 cities. Among them are Los Angeles, Miami, Seattle, and Boston. Read more

And another budget airline goes a little less budget: Allegiant Air is following in the legally messy footsteps of Spirit Airlines and will become the second U.S.-based carrier charging for carry-on bags, effective for all new reservations made from Wednesday, April 4 on. As with Spirit’s guidelines, you’ll still be allowed a free personal item, such as a purse or a laptop, which must fit under the seat in front of you. Also like Spirit, paying for your carry-on in advance can save you money. If you pay the carry-on fee at the airport, it’ll cost you $35, the same as the checked luggage charge. The prepaid fees for a carry-on range from $10-$30, which is slightly lower than the $14.99-$34.99 for prepaid checked luggage. The fees vary by airport, but you can check what you’ll be paying here.

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The U.S. Department of Transportation’s revised regulations aimed at boosting airline passenger protection, announced in April, finally take effect today. Among the new rules, passengers are entitled to a refund of baggage fees if their bags are lost, increased compensation if bumped from oversold flights, and more effective notifications and handling of lengthy tarmac delays.

While airlines are already obligated to reimburse passengers for loss, damaged, or delayed baggage, they must now also prominently disclose all optional fees on their websites. These include fees for baggage, meals, canceling or changing reservations, and upgraded seating.

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