Travellers walk through the Air Transat counter at Pearson airport in Toronto, on Sept., 10, 2020.Christopher Katsarov/The Globe and Mail
Air Transat TRZ-T has decided to start charging new fees for baggage when passengers book flights using the airline’s cheapest fare class.
The change will take effect on Tuesday for Air Transat’s Eco Budget fares within Canada, as well as various other destinations such as those in the United States.
Under the lowest fare category, a passenger will be allowed to carry on one handbag or one small backpack but any other bags will need to be checked with applicable fees.
Consumers who book in a higher fare class, Eco Standard, will still be allowed a single carry-on bag and one personal item, though any checked baggage will face new fees.
“Flights to and from Europe, Morocco and Peru, as well as Transat all-inclusive packages, are not affected by these changes,” Air Transat said in a statement.
Canada’s airline industry has argued that for carriers to be financially viable, air travellers can’t have cheap ticket prices and all the frills, too. Canada’s aviation history is littered with carriers such as discount outfit Jetsgo Corp. that went out of business for a variety reasons, including the challenges of operating in a sprawling country.
“These adjustments enable us to offer even more competitive fares and better align with industry practices, ensuring that we continue to offer an accessible travel experience that meets market expectations,” Air Transat said.
The moves by Montreal-based Air Transat follow changes announced last year by WestJet Airlines and Air Canada AC-T to eliminate free carry-on bags on their lowest fare buckets.
During a federal Transport committee hearing in December, MPs criticized the imposition of new fees for baggage.
Consumer advocates have also denounced the trend of unbundling various services that had been incorporated into base fares in the past.
To avid followers of Canada’s airline sector, the hot-button issue of stripping away “free frills” in economy class harks back to 2006, when Montreal-based Air Canada sought to fend off increased competition from Calgary-based WestJet.
Even back then, Air Canada tried to persuade consumers to view their ticket as something whose value varies, based on what services and features are built into the purchase. Nearly two decades later, consumer groups remain critical of the airline industry’s continuing quest to layer on fees.