I think that this is more a case of the US following our lead here, Mark! About the only thing on this list that I haven't been charged for already is pillows and blankets and I think that's probably because EasyJet doesn't even bother to have them :-)

SM

I agree - This is very much what already happens here.

But then how do you get the prices down?

The TOs went this way some time back. People complained and they listened.

Not everyone liked or wanted the meal.

Not everyone wanted to tour the entire country before they got to the hotel.

People wanted to decide where they sat and not rely on the check in lottery.

Meals, Transfers, Pre allocated seating. All these are extras now.

I do not know if the TOs reduced prices to take into account that people would pay extra - I doubt it - But we now accept it as the norm.

Sorry USA - We lead - now you are following.

fwh

I think the American article really referred to scheduled airlines which on the whole have yet to start charging for extras. The American ones being the exception. I travel between Germany and England on a regular basis and still get a free snack and drink with BA and last year took 6 long haul flights each one provided meals, blankets and earphones without charge. On one occasion I was given an exit row seat without charge (I think Virgin are the only scheduled European carrier that charge for extra legroom seats). So in this instance the American carriers are first with charging for extras.

This agenda is being driven by the scheduled no-frills airlines such as EasyJet and Ryannair and the TOs and charter operators are following their lead. I think that the full-fare scheduled outfits will keep up the 'with frills' services for their longhaul flights but BA has already dropped them for most of their domestic services within the UK and I wouldn't be surprised if their short haul European services don't quickly follow suit. One really doesn't need a re-heated pre-cooked meal on a flight of only a couple of hours and the entertainment is always dire anyway. And if my experiences with Cubana are anything to go by they've long ago dropped the notion of 'full service' on their longhaul transatlantic scheduled services - they just haven't got around to dropping the prices yet :-)

SM

Having read that article, I get the impression that it relates more to Scheduled Flights, as opposed to charter flights which already make most of those charges now anyway.

The only charge I am not familiar with is 'Curbside Check In'. If that means what I think it means I cannot see that ever catching on here in the UK. Think of the security implications.

I too am not familiar with the name 'curbside Check In'.

For those of you who have travelled to Barbados with Virgin, they offer a so called "Check in and Chill Out" service. Great for the traveller, but talking about security, totally what appears to be against current guidelines and safe practise.

The system works as follows: On your last day of your holiday, a Virgin representative and what appears to be a member of the airport staff, go to your hotel and check you in for the flight, You get issued with a boarding card and your luggage then gets tagged for the homebound flight. So far so good. However, your luggage then gets put into a van and you won't see it again until you're back in England. You then relax for the rest of the day at your hotel and once it is time to leave, you go to the airport, clear security and walk straight onto the plane.

What-ever happens to your luggage in between the van leaving the hotel, going to other hotels to pick to up more luggage and then going to the airport for it to be loaded onto the plane, makes me sometimes wonder whether there are no security risks involved. I presume that the bags are being scanned prior to them being loaded onto the plane, but anybody could put substances in bags that might not be locked during these four hours or so when they are out of your sight in an environment that is not as secure as an air site facility.

Virgin surely must have made special arrangements with the Bajan authorities to be able to operate this great service, but I always wonder whether one day I'm going to be stopped at Gatwick only for drugs to be found in my luggage - try to explain that to the authorities!

Slightly off topic, but certainly worth discussing.

Mark

The system works as follows: On your last day of your holiday, a Virgin representative and what appears to be a member of the airport staff, go to your hotel and check you in for the flight, You get issued with a boarding card and your luggage then gets tagged for the homebound flight. So far so good. However, your luggage then gets put into a van and you won't see it again until you're back in England. You then relax for the rest of the day at your hotel and once it is time to leave, you go to the airport, clear security and walk straight onto the plane.

Oh My God!! So it does mean what I thought it did then . I can't believe such a practice would be allowed after the sad events of 9/11! I would certainly not be able to relax on my last day, I'd be too worried thinking about what had happened to my luggage. I can't see that practice ever catching on here in the UK, and I am surprised it is allowed in other Countries. ANYTHING could happen to your suitcase once that van has left. I assume they are still subject to X-Ray, but that still does not alter the fact that your suitcases could be tampered with and items stolen from them whilst in the back of that van, or indeed items added to your case such as drugs and explosives. The van could be hyjacked en route to the Airport???, it could be involved in a crash???, totally destroying its cargo. It could simply be stolen from its overnight parking area??? OK, I know I'm speculating here, I appreciate that, I am a bit of a pesimist., but it still seems insane that after the terrible events of 9/11, (not to mention Lockerbie) such a practice can be allowed. It makes a total mokery of airport security

I for one would never ever pay for such a service, no matter how much a large established company like Virgin might endorse it. Have any HT members actually used such a service?

Hi Mark

You can do the same with Virgin in Orlando. You check your bags in at Downtown Disney early on the morning you are due to depart and then have a bag-free day for going to the theme parks etc. I have never even thought about the security risk of your luggage being away from you for 8 or 9 hours or where it might go in the intervening period. From what I remember you don't see it again until you are back in the UK

Have any HT members actually used such a service?

I have used this service for the past 6 years or so in Barbados, and so far no problems (fingers here firmly crossed). It does save all the hassle having to queue up at the airport, and, after all, it is a free service offered.

That doesn't stop me wondering though about the security of my bags whilst they are out of my sight.

I was not aware that such scheme also existed in Orlando. I presume that security in the USA is far more stricter than other countries (especially after 9/11) so once again I would have thought that Virgin must have the blessing of who ever governs baggage security.

Mark

I have used this service for the past 6 years or so in Barbados, and so far no problems (fingers here firmly crossed). It does save all the hassle having to queue up at the airport, and, after all, it is a free service offered.

Yes, indeed the idea of not having to queue up with all the hassle and inconvience involved does sound very appealling, but the worry of what might happen to my luggage would far outweigh any advantages of avoiding queues etc, but thats just my humble opinion. You say its currently a 'free' service? That would put me on my guard straight away.

No, I would not be able to enjoy the last few hours of my holiday if I allowed my luggage to be dealt with in such an insecure manner.

I have used the Orlando one 3 times and love it, I think its a brilliant idea bearing in mind you have to leave your hotel at 10.00am and don't fly till about 7pm. I hope they don't withdraw it as they get more and more security minded, but I suppose its a possibility.

I also would assume that it has the blessing of the authorities. You show them (Virgin check in staff) your tickets and passports get your boarding cards put your luggage in a van and thats the last you see of them till Gatwick.

put your luggage in a van and thats the last you see of them till Gatwick.

And its that bit that I don't like. Obviously the sytem must work because its being used, but I am afraid I would not be able to enjoy the remainder of my holiday, wondering where the van had gone to, is it safe, could my luggage be tampered with, might the van be involved in an accident........I appreciate its ok for some, but its not a service I would personally make use of.

Until a couple of years ago you could check your cases in at Paddington
Station if you were travelling from Heathrow. I did it a couple of times, checked my case in and didn't see it again until I arrived at my destination. Both times I had stayed in London overnight but my flight wasn't till afternoon so I had a few hours shopping and looking around before getting the train out to the airport. One time there was quite a long queue and a BA employee sent me to the Concorde line to check in(Red Carpet). I think they stopped when security became tighter.

The Virgin "Chill Out - Check-in" service is probably a lot more secure than leaving your suitcases in the hotel lobby while you hang out around the pool!

Exactly, Traveller, there are no guarantees even with standard procedures - once your case is out of your sight, end of story. It's just as vulnerable the moment it leaves the check-in desk and disappears from view on that conveyor belt. I think I actually distrust the baggage handlers at some airports more than I would a Virgin van driver! Havana is notorious for baggage being tampered with whether in-bound or out-bound. I know someone who got home from Havana to find that their newly bought for the holiday trainers had been replaced by an old smelly worn out pair! He suspected that they'd shown up on the X-ray machine and had proved too great a temptation for the security man operating it! The best thing is to never, ever pack anything in hold baggage that you really, really wouldn't ever want to be parted from.

As for the terrorist risk, stopping early baggage check-ins wouldn't have prevented the 9/11 atrocity - let's not forget that the risk there was the result of some of the other passengers, not the luggage. And as for Lockerbie and similar disaasters they happened because someone was persuaded to lie to the check-in staff about whether they'd been asked to carry something on behalf of someone else or because unaccompanied luggage ended up on the plane. As long as any baggage is X-rayed as usual before being placed in the hold and any baggage from 'no-show' passengers is offloaded before take-off I really can't see that this practice is anymore dangerous or risky than standard procedures.

SM

As long as any baggage is X-rayed as usual before being placed in the hold and any baggage from 'no-show' passengers is offloaded before take-off I really can't see that this practice is anymore dangerous or risky than standard procedures

Thats fair comment, and you make some valid points. However, it still does not distract from the fact that anything could happen to that van in transit. Anything.

I agree that something could indeed happen to your luggage once it disspears from your sight on the baggage check in belt, but I would rather take that risk, than the far greater risk of my luggage dissapearing on the back of some van. Its what might happen to the van that would concern me. Where do they take your luggage to? Direct to the aircraft? If so, then yes I agree there is probably no risk, but it the van drives off to some location not part of the Airport Complex and has to negogiate local traffic etc etc, well as I say, anything could happen to it.