Delta Testing Program to Offer Free Checked Bags, Reduce Carry-Ons
In an effort to reduce the number of carry-on bags and thus speed up the boarding process, Delta is testing a program to offer free checked bags. If you could check a bag for free and breeze through the airport carrying nothing, would you? Delta hopes people will say “yes” to this offer.
Delta is testing this program for the month of February and only on flights out of Boston (BOS). Before arriving at the airport, Delta customers on flights in the test program will receive a text message offering free checked bags in place of carrying their items on board.
Regarding the program, Delta says, “This test is designed to help Delta teams better understand how fewer carry-on bags can positively impact the customer experience—from arriving at the airport through boarding the aircraft.”
Delta currently charges $30 for the first checked bag on domestic flights. Those with elite status or holders of most Delta credit cards don’t pay these fees, but Delta’s checked baggage revenue is significant. The airline took in $1.04 billion in checked bag revenue in 2019, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
For those who swear allegiance to “team carryon” and don’t want to waste the extra time standing in line to check bags and then waiting to retrieve the bags on arrival, the offer may not be very appealing.
However, this new trial program aims to see if offering free checked bags might change people’s approach to checked luggage. If so, it may reduce carryon clutter during the boarding and de-planing processes, increasing efficiency for passengers getting on and off the plane.
In the world of airlines, test programs are not done without reason. Delta has not stated what the logic or long-term goals may be from this test program. What the results will show and what policy changes they may lead to are not public at this point.
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Hate this idea! I never check a bag. (I avoid United basic economy because they won’t allow a carry-on.) I fly Delta the most, and this change would be very unwelcome.