Flying over spring break? Chances are you'll pay at least an extra $15 to $25 each way to check just one bag. For a family of four, the fees can easily add up to the cost of an airline ticket.
And what happens if your bags get damaged or don't show up when you do? Airlines devote yards of fine print to spelling out their liability for lost or damaged luggage -- usually the actual value, not to exceed $3,300, with no coverage for valuables such as cameras and jewelry.
In the case of baggage delays, most airlines will reimburse you for small items such as a toothbrush or change of clothes you might need until your luggage arrives.
Yet when it comes to refunding the checked-bag fees airlines began charging last year, policies are surprisingly vague. Bottom line: Refunds for bag fees are rare, even when the "service" provided turns out to be less than you'd expect.
"It's a service charge for the handling and carrying of a checked bag," says Tim Smith, of American Airlines. "That does not imply any other promise."
American doesn't routinely refund checked-bag charges simply because of delays, Smith said.
"However, if the individual situation gets to the point where the customer files a claim seeking reimbursement for any covered loss, they are welcome to include checked-bag charges as part of that claim," said Smith.
That's too vague to suit Kate Hanni of FlyersRights.org, an airline passenger-rights group. Her organization is pushing the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to include checked-bag fee refunds in proposed new consumer-protection rules due out for review in June on airline baggage policies.
