Luggage Charges Top Consumer Reports' Survey of Travel Gripes

/PRNewswire/ -- Travelers have many reasons to be annoyed, but what bugs them most are luggage charges and add-on airline ticket fees, according to a survey by Consumer Reports.

Travelers were also very annoyed by rude or unhelpful staff, whether at airlines, hotels, or rental-car companies.

In a nationally representative survey conducted in January, Consumer Reports asked 2,000 Americans to score three lists of travel gripes covering rental-cars, airlines, and hotels for a total of 24 items on a 1-to-10 scale, 1 meaning an experience "does not annoy you at all" and 10 meaning it "annoys you tremendously."

Luggage charges (8.4 overall) and added airline ticket fees (8.1), top the list, but rude or unhelpful staff at rental-car companies (7.9), hotels (7.8) and airlines (7.7) were also among the more annoying things that rub Americans the wrong way while traveling.

The complete report on how Americans ranked all 24 annoyances is available in the June issue of Consumer Reports on sale May 4, and online at www.consumerreportsenespanol.org.

Among the highlights:

Poor communication about airline delays (7.1) annoyed people slightly more than the delays themselves (6.8).

Airline travelers who hog your seat (7.0) and carry-on space (6.7) are less annoying that some other irritants. Many people give crying babies and unruly kids (4.9) on planes a pass and have apparently gotten used to puny or no airline snacks, (5.1) and long lines for security and check-in (5.2).

Women travelers are somewhat more annoyed than men. Among complaints for which the gender gap was sufficient: pricey in-room hotel snacks (6.8 women, 5.2 men); insufficient or chintzy hotel bedding (7.2 women, 6.2 men), and high pressure pitches for extra rental-car coverage or upgrades (7.1 women, 6.0 men).

Some gripes, annoyed respondents under age 50 much more than those 50 and older. Those included rude or unhelpful airline staff (8.6 under 50, 8.0 50 or older), rental-car pitches (6.8 under 50, 6.1 50 or older), and absence of the ordered car (6.5 under 50, 5.4 50 and older), However, older folks are far more ticked off than younger people by those unruly kids on planes (4.5 under 50, 5.3 50 and older).

The Consumer Reports National Research Center conducted a telephone survey of a nationally representative probability sample of telephone households. 2,000 interviews were completed among adults aged 18+. Interviewing took place from January 21-25. The margin of error is +/- 2% points at a 95% confidence level.

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United Airlines' New Door-to-Door Baggage Service Takes the 'Lug' Out of Luggage

T2F Note: What an interesting concept. The question is whether travelers will pay $149 one way for their favorite clothes to show up. For golf clubs and extremely large items, the convenience factor could make sense. Time will tell.

PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- United Airlines today becomes the first U.S. airline to offer overnight baggage shipping service via an overnight courier that will provide customers with a more convenient and easy way to travel -- without their luggage.

United's new service, Door-to-Door Baggage, enables customers in the continental U.S. to conveniently ship their suitcases, or other travel items like skis or golf clubs, overnight from a home or office directly to their destination within the 48 contiguous United States. At $149 one way for flights less than 1,000 miles, or $179 for longer flights, United's prices are simple and more economical than similar overnight services offered by other luggage shipping services. Door-to-Door Baggage may be purchased on united.com and shipments can be easily tracked online.

"Door-to-Door Baggage is another new service from United's Travel Options portfolio that puts more choices into the hands of our customers and provides them with the flexibility to customize their own travel experiences," said Dennis Cary, senior vice president and Chief Marketing and Customer Officer. "While offering customers a new benefit, it also provides United with a new revenue stream that, when combined with our other ancillary revenue and fee initiatives, is expected to generate more than one billion dollars in 2009."

United's Door-to-Door Baggage service is easy. Up to 10 days prior to travel, customers may visit united.com/doortodoor where they select their appropriate trip and then schedule and pay for their shipment. Next, customers print their shipping documents that will be attached to the bags by the courier service. On the scheduled pickup day, the bags are picked up at a home or office -- generally between noon and 6 p.m. -- or dropped off at any of the courier's authorized shipping centers. By 4:30 p.m. the next day, the bags are delivered to the customer's final destination.

In addition to the new Door-to-Door Baggage service, customers may further enhance their travel experiences with other services from United's Travel Options portfolio. For example, starting at $14 one way, customers may sit in United's Economy Plus seating section that has up to five more inches of legroom (for elite customers, access to Economy Plus is complimentary). Also, with United's Award Accelerator offering, starting at $9, customers may earn travel awards faster by multiplying the amount of miles they receive when they fly.

More information about United's new Door-to-Door Baggage service and other Travel Options by United(SM) offerings is available at united.com/traveloptions.

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