Latam announces that it will apply new expenses related to luggage and seats | Economy

The airline Latam offers a new way to buy tickets via its service on international flights, imitating what was already working on domestic flights since 2017.

The options offer you "Promo", "Light", "Plus" and "Top" that must now be selected when buying a ticket. Each of them, from the cheapest to the most expensive, has different characteristics.

For example, the first two options only offer hand luggage (8 kg). And the reservation is charged for additional ; Without a fixed price, the price starts at $ 20 (nearly $ 14,000), Pulso's slogan.

Meanwhile, this new model will allow cheaper sections (Promo, Light) to offer only seats at random ] In the case of wanting to choose them, an additional cost must be paid (to starting at $ 5 or $ 3,500). If it is a group trip, an additional service will be hired to choose "united" seats.

Despite the change, the offer of these 4 new options would not be available for all destinations. For example, a trip to Miami has only the 2 most expensive sections (Plus, Top), while Lima has 3 sections Light, Plus, Top, but not the Promo).

Reasons for Change

As the company explained, the decision to apply this measure to their international flights is due to the maintenance of those that were applied nationwide.

It is "in line with the global trend of the sector and what has already been implemented by the company in 2017 for its domestic flights," they said.

In the meantime, they badured that this new model would have positive effects for customers: "The pbadenger can choose the (fare) that best suits his needs and pay only for services that he will use ".

Profit for the company or customers?

The National Corporation of Consumers and Users (Conadecus), in a conversation with Pulso, criticized the measure and explained that it would act as a transfer of costs to customers. (low cost), this adaptation to the "market trend" is not necessary for a company that does not work in this segment.

"The value of baggage fees is at the discretion of the company, some charge $ 20,000 to move a bag, so that any rebate that could have been paid is much more expensive at the end," he said. the president of Conadecus, Hernán Calderón.

"We do not think so" he concluded.

In the meantime, the Civil Aeronautics Board (JAC) explained that the Chilean commercial airline policy did not establish a minimum or limit on the prices and other flight variables of each airline. This new Latam model is therefore allowed.