Easyjet to charge for all luggage

Easyjet 's hand luggage allowance is unchangedBudget airline Easyjet has said that it is to charge customers for every piece of luggage that they check in to the plane's hold.

Each bag - weighing up to 20kg - will cost £2. Currently the first bag is free but each subsequent bag costs £5.

The airline said it was trying to reduce the number of passengers who travelled with checked-in bags.

"It's about getting people to pack smarter, travel lighter and travel cheaper," Easyjet said.

Its policy on carry-on luggage will not be affected.

Rival Ryanair already charges for all bags that are checked in.

The airlines say that handling fewer bags can help airports run more smoothly - and argue that those who do not have luggage should not have to pay for those who do require the service.

In February British Airways announced that some travellers would pay to check in a second piece of luggage.

Rome police probe luggage chaos

Italian police are investigating the chaos surrounding handling of luggage at Fiumicino Airport in Rome.

Thousands of pieces of baggage have gone astray during the heaviest travel weekend of the year.

More than 100,000 people passed through the airport on Sunday alone, and many have not seen their uitcases since.

Italy's Civil Aviation Authority claims that baggage handlers have been sabotaging outdated or obsolete equipment, causing huge delays.

Both arriving and departing passengers have been affected.

Piles of thousands of pieces of luggage have accumulated in various parts of the airport, and angry passengers have been demanding compensation for lost or delayed baggage.

After one MP dubbed the crisis a national disgrace, government ministers have called for an immediate inquiry into the chaos at one of Europe's busiest airports.
By David Willey BBC News, Rome

Budapest Airport Workers Strike

Two unions started a strike at Budapest's Ferihegy Airport on Sunday after they failed to reach an agreement with airport operator Budapest Airport over this year's wage rise.

Budapest Airport spokesman Domokos Szollar said passenger safety controllers and fuel service workers went on strike from 1430 GMT but so far no flights had to be cancelled.

"It may cause disruptions, depending on how many people take part in the strike action," Szollar said.

Wage talks failed to result in an agreement after unions demanded a 10 percent wage rise for 2007, while the company was offering 6.2 percent.

The unions had earlier said the strike would end at 2200 GMT.(Reuters)

Indian business travelers prefer full service carriers

In India, Full Service Carriers (FSC) still carry the bulk of business travellers. Nearly half of FSC clients travel on business (47%), and 42% do not pay for their own tickets according to a new Centre for Asia Pacific Aviation survey. In the case of Low Cost Carriers (LCC), only 29% of passengers are business travellers, with 21% holding sponsored tickets.

Not only do FSC travellers, or their sponsors, pay a premium of about 60% for the privilege of flying with an FSC. As previously revealed in Part 1, FSC clients also have a low propensity to book online, and will generally buy through a travel agent (61%, as compared to only 21% using the internet).

These findings reveal some uniquely Indian features in the domestic FSC market which may explain such consumer behaviour. “Grey” cash in the Indian market may be influencing the choice of FSC point of sale.However, it can be assumed that even apart the more “hands-off” behaviour of the more affluent travellers in India (where there is often someone else to do the work), there is a significant overhang of prestige attached to travelling on FSCs.

If this is true, the message should be loud and clear for the established full service operators in India. Prestige can be a strong factor in brand allegiance, especially in the field of business travel, and easily leveraged by smart loyalty programs.
Vicky Karantzavelou - Monday, August 06, 2007