Aviation

Alaska Airlines Raising Its Baggage Fees Next Year

Alaska Airlines has declared a rise in baggage fees for all reservations made on or after January 2, 2024. The first checked bag will now cost USD 35 (up from $30) and the second checked bag will now cost $45 USD (up from $40).

Additionally, extra suitcases (the third bag and beyond) will now cost $150 each, instead of the previous $100. These fees have been in effect since mid-2023. Additionally, the overweight baggage fee (for bags over 50 lbs. / 23 kg) is still $100, but the oversized baggage fee has increased to $150 from $100.

alaska airlines keeps on waiving checked baggage fees for holders of the Alaska Airlines Visa Signature® card, Alaska Airlines Visa® Business credit card, and for up to six additional passengers on the same reservation, despite these gradual increases. With an annual fee of only $70, both cards Alaskans who wish to avoid having to pay annoying checked bag fees.

All active duty military personnel, Mileage Plan MVP elite members, and Club 49 members in the state of Alaska are among the other travelers who are not charged for checked bags.

The newly announced plans by alaska air to acquire Hawaiian Airlines may affect the combined airline as a result of the increased checked baggage fees. As of right now, Hawaiian charge different prices for checked bags on flights within the island and to the United States. Hawaiian charges the standard industry rate of $30 and $40 for flights to the mainland, but their website lists the current first and second bag fees as $25 and $35.

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Aviation

Boeing to Slash 17,000 Jobs Worldwide Amid Ongoing Factory Strike

Boeing to Slash 17,000 Jobs Amid Ongoing Factory Strike

Boeing, one of the world’s largest aerospace manufacturers, is facing a severe crisis. The company announced on Friday that it will lay off 17,000 employees—roughly 10% of its workforce.

This decision comes amid a prolonged strike, production delays, and ongoing safety concerns with its aircraft. Kelly Ortberg, Boeing’s CEO since August, delivered the news, stating, “Our business is in a difficult position, and it is hard to overstate the challenges we face together.

Beyond navigating our current environment, restoring our company requires tough decisions, and we will have to make structural changes to ensure we can stay competitive and deliver for our customers over the long term.”

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Boeing has been struggling financially, with the last reported profit in 2018. The company’s largest union, with 33,000 members, has been on strike for nearly a month after rejecting a labor deal. The ongoing walkout is reportedly costing Boeing around a billion dollars each month as negotiations remain at a standstill.

Compounding these issues, Boeing’s much-anticipated boeing 777x wide-body plane is now six years behind schedule, with deliveries postponed until 2026. This follows the discovery of structural damage during flight tests. Boeing also announced it will stop manufacturing its commercial 767 freighters after fulfilling its remaining orders by 2027.

Financially, the company expects to report a significant third-quarter loss—nearly $10 per share—and a total cash outflow of $1.3 billion. boeing new aircraft commercial airplane unit faces a $3 billion pretax charge, while its defense business will absorb an additional $2 billion hit.

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The strike has severely impacted production at key boeing facilities, particularly in Seattle, where half of the company’s nearly 150,000 employees work. Since 2019, Boeing has lost approximately $25 billion.

Ortberg was brought in over the summer to help the company regain public trust following safety concerns, especially surrounding the 737 Max line, which was involved in two deadly crashes. Earlier this year, a separate incident involving a panel popping off a 737 Max mid-flight reignited concerns. A Federal Aviation Administration investigation following the event found that Boeing had failed 33 out of 89 product audits.