Canadians now have to pay more to fly with major U.S airline
Canadians who book with United Airlines now have to pay more to check their luggage.
United Airlines told Daily Hive in an email that it is raising first and second checked bag fees by $10 for flyers travelling in the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and Latin America.
The checked bag fee hike kicked in on Friday, April 3.
“This is the first time in two years the airline has raised bag fees,” stated a spokesperson.
According to United Airlines, if you pay for checked bags within 24 hours of the flight, the fee has increased from $40 to $50 for the first bag, $50 to $60 for the second bag, and $150 to $200 for the third bag, as of last Friday.
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“United Chase credit card holders, MileagePlus Premier members, active military members, and customers travelling in premium cabins can still check a bag for free, and customers in most markets will still enjoy a $5 discount if they prepay for their bags online 24 hours before their flight,” explained the airline.
The new prepaid price goes from $35 to $45 for the first bag, $45 to $55 for the second bag, and $150 to $200 for the third.
This increase comes as other major airlines add temporary fuel surcharges to certain bookings amid rising oil prices.
WestJet is the latest big carrier to add an extra fee to some of its flights, following Porter and Air Canada’s lead.
The Calgary-based airline stated in an email to customers Friday morning that, in response to rising jet fuel prices, WestJet will be bringing in a temporary fuel surcharge on all bookings made with a companion voucher.
In addition to the checked bag fee increase, United Airlines introduced another new rule that could get Canadians kicked off a flight if they don’t follow it.
The American airline recently updated its Contract of Carriage, which lists detailed terms and conditions for passengers. Canadians will now need to make sure to pack headphones if they plan to listen to music, catch up on their favourite TV show, or simply scroll through social media.
According to the Feb. 27 update, passengers must use headphones when listening to audio or video content on a device, and any passenger who doesn’t comply could face serious consequences.