My seasonal award for the most thoughtful travel gesture this holiday time goes to Air Berlin.
The airline – the second biggest in Germany after Lufthansa – is allowing passengers to take their Christmas trees with them on flights at no extra cost. Customers can take trees of up to two metres (six feet) in height until Christmas Eve on condition they notify the airline at least 24 hours in advance.
Titus Johnson, Air Berlin’s manager in the UK and Ireland, said: “Most of the demand for this comes from our German customers – it seems they can’t bear to be parted from their trees at Christmas. After all, it was Queen Victoria’s [German] husband, Prince Albert, who brought the tradition with him to England in the first place.”
The trees will, of course, go in the hold, not on the empty seat on the aisle. I’d love to witness the scene at the baggage carousel!
by Andy Moreton
A number of American airlines are set to charge economy passengers for a second piece of luggage going into the hold on transatlantic flights.
Delta, Continental, US Airways and American Airlines are imposing a $50 (£30) levy as they face up to their worst cash crisis since the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks. 
British Airways – in serious financial trouble – is to charge up to £40 ($65) for a second bag. And Virgin Atlantic is imposing a one-item limit from late September on economy passengers flying to destinations such as Dubai, Shanghai and Singapore, Any extras will be charged at £35 ($57).
The new charges were condemned by the Chief Executive of the Air Transport Users’ Council, Simon Evans. “It’s just about making money, they just want to get more money out of us,” he said.
He was particularly scathing about BA: “It seems to have buried it on the website. When you think of British Airways’ attack on other airlines’ hidden charges, this does seem like people in glass houses throwing stones.”
The additional fees will hit holidaymakers particularly hard as they normally carry more luggage than business travellers and are more likely to fly economy. Skiers, snowboarders and golfers, in particular, will be counting the cost.
by Andy Moreton
Figures released last week give an indication of the extent of the problem of lost airline luggage.
A total of 42 million bags worldwide were ‘mishandled’ in 2007 and, of those, more than a million were never found.
The consumer watchdog, the Air Transport Users’ Council, said that an additional irritation was that passengers were being short-changed when they sought compensation. At times, they were being offered as little as 10 per cent of the value of the lost items.
The situation has prompted the European Union to take action. A statement said the EU’s Transport Commissioner, Antonio Tajani, had decided ‘to take immediate measures on passengers’ rights, starting with an investigation on the scale of the phenomenon.’
It’s possible that the result of that investigation could be a body which would order airlines to pay compensation to travellers whose baggage fails to arrive. European law already means airlines must compensate passengers whose flights have been cancelled or significantly delayed.
by Andy Moreton
