Alaska Hikes First Bag Fee, Lowers Second

Alaska Airlines announced changes to its bag fee policy today. Effective immediately, the first three bags on Alaska Air and Horizon will cost passengers $20, while the fourth through 10th bag will cost $50. In most cases, this actually represents a significant reduction in the cost of checking a bag. Here’s a breakdown:

• First bag: New fee: $20; old fee: $15
• Second bag: New fee: $20; old fee: $25
• Third bag: New fee: $20; old fee: $50
• Fourth through 10th bags: New fee: $50; old fee: $100

The airline also changed its baggage delivery guarantee, which stipulates that passengers will receive their bags within a certain amount of time once they’re on the ground. Passengers can now expect their bags within 20 minutes of parking at the gate, five minutes quicker than the original guarantee limit. Customers can choose between 2,000 Alaska Mileage Plan miles or a $20 flight credit if their bags are late.

On balance, these are relatively good moves. The fee changes are a net savings for customers traveling with more than one bag, and the delivery guarantee certainly doesn’t hurt. Of all the airlines that do collect bag fees, Alaska does seem to be trying the hardest to make the fees as painless as reasonably possible. Credit where it’s due, right?

Readers, what do you think about Alaska’s changes? What about the bag delivery guarantee?