A Battle Looms For Airlines' Overhead Bins
2008年06月26日13:48
有关随身携带行李的新政策马上就要在美国各大机场付诸实施了。
The carry-on-baggage police will soon be out in force at airports.
美利坚航空(American Airlines)，联合航空(United Airlines)和US Airways准备对所有托运行李进行收费，其中第一件行李往返收费30美元，第二件行李收费50美元，同时他们还准备严格实施目前普遍受到漠视的对随身携带行李的限制，以将航班延误和登机干扰减至最低水平。航空公司与乘客之间的斗争还将继续，乘客将面临行李新规的烦扰，给他们本来就劳累的旅途增添更多不快。
As American, United and US Airways prepare to start collecting fees on every piece of checked luggage, including $30 round trip to check one bag and an additional $50 round trip to check a second, they are also getting ready to strictly enforce limits on carry-on baggage -- which are commonly flouted -- in hopes of minimizing delays and disruption as flights board. Battles with customers likely will ensue, and fliers will be peppered with baggage-rule announcements, adding more aggravation to the already trying travel experience.
AMR Corp.旗下的美利坚航空和UAL Corp.旗下的联合航空将在机场安检入口处安排员工或者雇佣合同工，负责阻挡违反有关随身携带行李规定的乘客。根据新规定，每位乘客只能携带一件能放进头顶行李箱中的箱包，以及一件诸如手袋或者公文包之类的“个人物品”。这可能会减慢乘客通过安检的速度，而在机场办理登机手续柜台收取额外费用可能会延长乘客等待的时间。登机的速度可能也会放慢，为了避免收费，乘客通常会增加手提行李的容量，提前抵达登机口，以便找到足够的摆放行李的空间，航空公司无疑将面临更大的压力。
AMR Corp.'s American and UAL Corp.'s United will station airline employees or hired contract workers at entrances to security screening lanes to intercept customers exceeding the carry-on limit of one bag small enough to fit in an overhead bin and one 'personal item' like a purse or briefcase. That could slow passengers trying to get through security, and collecting the fee at ticket counters and airport curbs could make lines longer. Boarding airplanes could be slower, too, with heightened stress as customers maximize carry-ons to avoid fees and then push to board early enough to find space in overhead cabin bins.
美利坚航空准备积极实施随身携带行李政策，一旦他们发现有乘客行李超规，就会毫不留情地阻止乘客登机。他们还准备在登机口和飞机上增强对行李规定的宣传。联合航空表示，该公司仍在制定计划，但可能尝试在完全预订航班登机开始之前，针对较晚登机的乘客在机舱门口就地检查他们的行李。
American plans to more aggressively pull customers aside at boarding gates if the airline thinks they have too much carry-on baggage, as well as step up announcements about size limits in gate areas and on airplanes. United says it is still formulating its plans, but may try to gate-check bags for customers in later boarding groups before boarding begins for fully booked flights.
三大航空公司均表示可能会再次引入金属模板架，在X光机前比对行李尺寸，防止超大行李通过。该政策在过去曾经引发乘客的诸多不满，2001年美国遭受恐怖袭击后，美国交通安全管理局(Transportation Security Administration，简称TSA)掌控了安检程序，该政策也就随之废止了。
All three airlines say it's possible that metal templates -- which prevent larger bags from making it through X-ray machines -- will be reintroduced. That's a tactic that angered many customers in the past and was eliminated when the Transportation Security Administration took control of screening after the 2001 terrorist attacks.
美利坚航空负责机场服务规划的高级副总裁马克?杜邦(Mark Dupont)表示，这是我们以前研究过的措施，如今可能会重新出台。
'It's something we've looked at in the past and may look at again,' says Mark Dupont, American's senior vice president of airport services planning.
联合航空的高级副总裁斯科特?杜兰(Scott Dolan)表示，该公司希望重新使用金属模板架。US Airways Group Inc.的总裁斯科特?科比(Scott Kirby)称，有些机场可能会重新使用金属模板架。虽然安检处仍由TSA控制，但是航空公司可以对联邦机构施加压力，如果某个安检处只负责安检一家航空公司、或者几家使用同样模板的航空公司的话，就应当允许行李模板的使用。
United is in favor of bringing back templates, says Senior Vice President Scott Dolan, and US Airways Group Inc. President Scott Kirby says a return of baggage templates is 'likely' at some airports. While security checkpoints are controlled by the TSA, airlines can pressure the federal agency to allow templates if a checkpoint serves a single airline, or several airlines with the same policy on templates.
TSA表示，目前正在“密切关注”事态的发展，如果出现乘客普遍从托运行李转向随手携带行李的趋势，该机构可能会重新安排员工。TSA发言人克里斯托弗?怀特(Christopher White)表示，该机构尚未接到任何有关重新设置金属模板的请求。此类请求可能很难获得批准。怀特称，严格实施行李限制属于航空公司的职能范畴，而TSA关注的是安全。
The TSA says it is 'closely monitoring' the situation and could move staff if there's a broad shift from checked bags to carry-ons. TSA spokesman Christopher White says the agency hasn't yet received any requests to reinstall templates. It could be a hard sell. 'Strictly enforcing baggage limitations is an airline function,' says Mr. White. 'TSA is focused on security.'
US Airways表示将增加员工应对办理登机手续柜台增加的工作量，但是随着乘客逐步适应新规，调整并减少托运行李，这个问题应当会得到解决。不过，航空公司还有另外一方面的顾虑：随着乘客增加随身携带行李，如果头顶行李箱在在起飞时装满，货舱已经达到最大行李装载量的航班可能没有地方容纳更多的行李。
US Airways says it will add staff to help with increased transaction time at ticket counters, but as customers adjust and check fewer bags, the problem should dissipate. One area of concern: With more carry-on bags, some flights that already have the maximum number of bags loaded in cargo holds may have nowhere to put more bags if overhead bins fill up at departure time.
科比表示，随身携带行李的政策肯定会付诸实施。该公司确实希望新的收费政策能够促使乘客携带较少的行李。
'Carry-on rules will be enforced,' Mr. Kirby says. The airline does hope the new fee will result in customers packing lighter.
行李限制将在一定程度上降低航空公司的燃油成本，原因是飞机载重越大，其耗油量越大。US Airways表示，目前，该公司每位往返票乘客的平均燃油成本（包括国际航班）为299美元，而公司往返航班的平均票价不到500美元。
Less luggage will reduce airlines' fuel bills a bit since the heavier planes are, the more fuel they burn. US Airways says its fuel costs per passenger, including international flights, now average $299 on a round-trip ticket, in line with estimates compiled in last week's Middle Seat column. Its average round-trip fare is under $500, US Airways says.
US Airways首席执行长道格拉斯?帕克(Douglas Parker)表示，这种局面使航空公司别无选择，只能加收行李托运费。他说，该公司认为新政策是合适的，也是必需的。帕克表示，除非US Airways发现乘客不再选择加收首件行李托运费的航空公司，否则他们会坚持实施收费政策。更有可能出现的结果是，乘客会改变行李打包的习惯──减少托运行李，增加随身携带行李，而不是改换航空公司。
That leaves the airline little choice but to impose fees, says US Airways Chief Executive Douglas Parker. 'We think that it's a change that is appropriate and required,' he says. The fee will stick unless US Airways finds consumers won't fly an airline with a first-bag fee, Mr. Parker says. A more likely outcome is that rather than change airlines, travelers will change how they pack -- toting less on trips and stuffing as much as they can into carry-on cases.
除此之外，航空公司还有一个节约成本的举措：从8月份开始，US Airways的航班将不再提供免费苏打水。咖啡、瓶装水及软饮料将收取2美元；酒精饮料的价格将由原来的5美元提高到7美元。
Another cost-saving change: US Airways is ending free sodas on its flights beginning in August. Coffee, bottled water and soft drinks will cost $2; alcoholic drinks will be raised to $7 from $5.
对于许多乘客来说，新收费政策带来的最大麻烦无疑是他们必须争夺机上行李箱的空间。为了确保自己能够找到位置，一些乘客已经开始插队，造成登机队伍的混乱。乘客不得不费劲将大件行李塞入小行李箱中，而一旦行李箱满载，乘务员常常还得将行李抬下飞机，托运到目的地。所有这一切都有可能变得更糟，虽然航空公司表示，如果乘客无法为合规的随身携带行李找到摆放空间，他们不会就地收费。
For many travelers, the most odious aspect of the baggage fee is the anticipated battle for overhead-bin space. To make sure they can find room, some customers already push their way through boarding queues. Passengers struggle to stuff large bags into small bins, and flight attendants often find themselves taking bags off planes and checking them to their destinations once bins fill up. All this will likely get worse, though the airlines say that the new fee won't be collected in airplane cabins from customers who can't find space for their allowed carry-on bags.
行李箱之争会导致航班延误、让乘客不满。来自波士顿的乘客迈克尔?帕特诺德(Michael Patnode)便对新的收费政策非常不满，他说，“这只会促使乘客将他们所有能够随身携带的东西都一股脑地拖到机舱里。”他倒是愿意接受一个更加现实的票价。他说，任何收费低于成本的企业都应该会破产，很明显，航空公司已经将成本削减到了令其产品完全丧失吸引力的地步。
Bin battles can delay flights and leave customers frustrated. 'This fee will just cause many people to drag all their worldly possessions into the cabin,' says Michael Patnode, an American customer from Boston angered by the new fee. He'd prefer more-realistic fares instead. 'Any business that charges less than its costs deserves to go bankrupt, and it's clear the airlines have cut their costs to the point that the product is completely unappealing,' he says.
美利坚航空的杜邦说，该公司首次宣布将加收行李托运费后，来自乘客的反应一直集中在对机场手续和登机过程的顾虑上。美利坚航空表示，准备直面应对这些变化，并希望不会出现瓶颈问题。
American's Mr. Dupont says much of the response his airline has received from customers after first announcing the fee has centered on concerns about the airport and boarding experience. American says it is prepared to deal with the changes and hopes bottlenecks won't be created.
几个月以来，美利坚航空的托运工作一直不尽人意。今年前4个月，美利坚航空的行李可靠度是各大航空公司中最差的，每141名乘客至少会有一件行李遭到不当处理，其准时可靠度也是所有美国航空公司中最低的。2007年，在美国各大航空公司的准时性指标上，只有US Airways比美利坚航空更糟糕。
The airline's baggage operation has struggled for many months. Through the first four months of this year, American has been worst among major airlines in baggage reliability, mishandling at least one bag for every 141 passengers, and worst among all U.S. airlines in on-time dependability. In 2007, only US Airways was worse than American among major carriers in the on-time category.
美利坚航空针对第一件行李收取的托运费适用于美国和加拿大的所有航班，正式生效针对6月22日及以后购买的机票。美利坚航空表示，此举每年将影响到超过2400万乘客，大约是国内乘客数量的三分之一。（约有一半的乘客不托运行李。）新政策不适用于头等舱和商务舱乘客，也不适用于需要转乘国际航班和现役军人乘客。
American's first-bag fee, which applies to travel in the U.S. and Canada, went into effect for tickets bought Sunday or later. American says it will affect more than 24 million fliers annually, or roughly one-third of domestic passengers. (About half of its customers don't check bags.) Elite-level frequent fliers or people buying full-fare coach tickets or first-class tickets are exempt, as are passengers connecting to international flights and active-duty military personnel.
新规定非常复杂，即便是杜邦自己在被问及新政策如何适用于所谓的代码共享安排时，他也需要核实一番才能回答。所谓代码共享安排是指一家航空公司将另外一家航空公司的座位当作自己的座位出售给乘客。 (新规定适用于乘客乘坐的第一个航班，无论是哪家航空公司出售的机票。)
The rules are complicated -- even Mr. Dupont had to check when asked on how the fee applied to so-called code-share arrangements, when one airline sells another's seats as its own. (The rules of the first airline you fly apply, regardless of which airline sold you the ticket.)
总之，通过增收行李托运费，美利坚航空每年将增加3.5亿美元以上的收入。不过，比起飙升的油价而言，这对公司的补贴不过是杯水车薪。该公司预计今年的燃油成本将比2007年增加26亿美元。美利坚航空称，该公司一直未能有效提高票价以抵消成本上升的影响，因此决定增收行李托运费。
All told, American will increase revenue by more than $350 million annually with the fee. That's a small drop in the oil barrel, since it expects to pay $2.6 billion more for fuel this year than in 2007, but the carrier says it hasn't been able to raise fares enough to cover its costs, so it's instituting new fees.
美利坚航空表示，该公司的机场柜台将接受信用卡付款，希望以此尽量减少对乘客办理登机手续的影响。行李搬运人员也将获准收取行李托运费，并不再收取2美元的就地行李托运费。
American says it hopes to minimize the impact on check-in lines at airports by making its kiosks able to collect fees with a credit-card swipe. Skycaps, too, will be able to collect baggage fees, and the $2 fee to check bags curbside with a skycap will be dropped.
上周晚些时候，继美利坚航空之后，联合航空和US Airways双双宣布将增收行李托运费。尽管如此，至少到目前为止，其它航空公司对此还是持抵制态度。不过，这种局面随时都可能改变，尤其是如果竞争对手发现乘客按照规定支付行李托运费，而机票销售并未出现下降的话。不过，一些航空公司可能将增收行李托运费视为一个区别服务的契机，尤其在目前美国各个航空公司服务相差无几的情况下。
While United and US Airways both matched American's first-bag fee late last week, other airlines have resisted, at least so far. That could change any day, especially if competitors see customers paying the fee with no drop in ticket sales. But some carriers may see the first-bag fee as an opportunity to differentiate service at a time when it's hard to distinguish between U.S. airlines.
比如，911恐怖袭击事件后，其它航空公司纷纷开始对机上三明治和零食进行收费，只有大陆航空(Continental Airlines Inc.)继续供应免费餐食，以此树立独特的业界形像。大陆航空也宣布将针对第二件行李收费50美元的往返行李托运费，但尚未针对第一件行李收费。该公司的发言人拒绝就行李托运费发表评论。
Continental Airlines Inc., for example, tried to set itself apart from the pack by continuing to serve meals on flights after 2001 when other airlines were switching to buy-on-board sandwiches and snacks. Continental did match the $50 round-trip fee for checking a second piece of luggage, but not the first-bag fee yet. A spokesman declined to comment on baggage fees.
达美航空(Delta Air Lines Inc.)上周表示，该公司尚未有针对第一件行李收托运费的计划。达美航空发言人贝西?塔尔顿(Betsy Talton)称，此举将不利于乘客，而如果乘客试图将所有行李搬上飞机的话，也将增加航空公司的运营难度。
Delta Air Lines Inc. last week said it didn't plan on charging for the first bag. 'This would not be good for customers, and it could be operationally difficult as customers try to bring all of their luggage onto the aircraft,' says spokeswoman Betsy Talton.
关于这一点，许多乘客都表示认同。
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