Travel light or pay more should be your mantra. BA is reducing its allowance in its Euro Traveller or World Travel Class to one bag with a maximum weight of 34g.

A second bag becomes a luxury at £28 for the privilege of putting it in the hold (online). If you check it in at the airport on European flights this rises to £35. For other flights that extra bags cost £32 for an online checking and a hefty £40 at the airport.

BA isn't the only fee-hike culprit. Delta has been charging $50 for a second-checked in bag since July 1 and American Airlines will start to charge the same amount this week (September 14).

Virgin join the fee-spree on September 23. Passengers will be allowed one bag each and the second will cost a whopping £90 to check in on  international flights.

Ryanair, pioneers of stealth charges, are raising the cost of their checking in service from October 1st.
 
Checking in a bag at the airport will cost £30, up from £20. Doing so online in advance will cost £15, up from £10.
 
It will cost passengers £70 to check a second bag in at the airport or £35 by the internet in advance.
 
Each bag will have a separate 15KG allowance to allow passengers to travel with up to 30KG of checked in baggage – double the current allowance of 15KG.
 
The increases are “part of the airline's programme to encourage passengers to travel with carry on luggage only”.
 
The airline said: “All passengers can avoid these optional checked in baggage fees by travelling with carry on baggage only.”

7 September 2009