Air Transat introduces checked bag fee, ups baggage allowances

Travellers booking air-only Economy Class flights to southern destinations with Air Transat will be paying a little extra to check a bag this fall, with the airline’s introduction of a $25 fee on the first piece of checked baggage.

The fee came into effect today (July 6) for departures as of Nov. 1 and applies to Economy Class passengers (air-only, per flight segment) flying to the Caribbean, Mexico and Central and South America; the fee was already in place for flights to the U.S. Economy Class passengers who have booked all-inclusive packages to the South will be allowed a free piece of checked baggage.

Air Transat will continue to allow one free piece of checked baggage for all Economy Class passengers travelling to Europe.

The maximum weight per bag will also be increased and standardized under Air Transat’s new checked baggage allowance policy, for flights and packages to the United States, Caribbean, Mexico, Central and South America and Europe, as well as to domestic flights within Canada.

For Economy Class passengers travelling to these destinations, the baggage allowance will be increased from a total weight of 20 kg to one piece of 23 kg, while for Economy Class passengers who have booked cruise packages, the baggage allowance will be increased from a total weight of 25 kg to one piece of 28 kg.

Option Plus passengers in Economy Class will benefit from an additional piece of checked baggage of 23 kg; passengers who book packages to the South or Europe and upgrade to Option Plus will see their baggage allowances increase to two pieces of 23 kg each, for a total of 46 kg.

Club Class passengers travelling to the South, the United States or within Canada will be allowed two pieces of 25 kg each, for a total of 50 kg, while those travelling to Europe will be allowed two pieces of 32 kg each, for a total of 64 kg, compared to 40 kg under the previous policy.

Air Transat’s sporting equipment baggage policy remains unchanged.

For more details, visit www.airtransat.com.