Honey, I Shipped the Bags

FMV read another story in the Chicago Tribune, regarding the impending reality of baggage fees.

"It's just a matter of time before other airlines start an a la carte luggage system, opined Joe Brancatelli, an airline expert who runs his own business traveler Web site, joesentme.com. "It probably won't be long before free luggage allowances for Coach passengers disappear completely"

However, before we grab the pitchforks and torches and gather the villagers to protest this invasion of our ticket rights, read about these services that may save the day by shipping your bags so you don't have to check them! But at up to $200 per bag, these guys are NOT targeting the mass market. Price-sensitive is not in their customers' vocabulary. Think Al Czervik in Caddyshack. The kind of person who buys one of everything and an extra designer suitcase to pack it in.

But the idea is an interesting one as FMV considers carriers partnering with the baggage shippers to provide more customer options and deflect complaints about baggage fees. We think a large driver of this would be the PR problems of paying for poor service:

"What would be more infuriating than paying to check a bag, then have a carrier mishandle it?"

While we're ok with the "pay for baggage" concept, it also needs to come with a fairly relilable guarantee that your bags will arrive when you do. There is a fairly large oppportunity here for airlines and customers alike - and it's gotta be larger than a 3oz clear container...