Here are some scandalous facts about what airlines are charging us for baggage even when they loose it – read on to be shocked!
 
Fact Number 1 - Airline scales are not always correct or truthful!
 Quote from The Times Online 14th May 2008
“A survey by Trading Standards at Gatwick found that 62 of the airport's 321 scales gave incorrect readings. One unnamed airline registered 10 faulty scales among 18 used…….Other travelers have contacted Times Online with similar stories. J Fraser from Lytham St Annes was told by Ryanair at Liverpool that the bag he weighed as 17kg at home recorded 23kg on check-in, while Jay from London said a suitcase he took on a connecting flight registered two different weights at the two check-in desks.”
Source: http://travel.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/travel/news/article3930576.ece

Quote from The Guardian February 23rd 2008
“There could even be questions about the reliability of the scales used to determine excess weight - which can cost £75 for a single overweight bag. ….A traveler was concerned that two separate weighings of her luggage had produced unexpected readings. On the travel specialist website, Travel Mole, Mr Treloar says: "We checked the scales and found some needed adjusting to give the proper weight. The whole issue of baggage is making dream holidays turn into nightmares."”
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/feb/23/consumeraffairs

Fact number 2 - Jet fuel prices have almost doubled since the start of the year. Unfortunately the airlines will look to recoup this cost from some where else – namely their passengers!
Source: http://www.itv.com/News/newsspecial/FuelSurcharges/default.html

Fact number 3 - Soon all airlines will follow suite and copy Ryanair and American Airlines who charge extra for every bag checked into the hold. Ryanair charge 10€ per bag and American Airlines charge $15 for the first bag and $25 for your second!
Source: http://current.com/items/88970832_fyi_american_airlines_1st_baggage_charge
Source:http://itn.co.uk/news/faadd99b8f6e9c80e4d03854981e788f.html

Fact number 4 - Airlines are making a fortune from passengers paying excess luggage charges.
Quote from The Guardian Saturday February 23rd 2008
“But it's a lucrative additional source of income for airlines wanting to keep headline fares to a minimum. Easyjet's quarterly figures, published earlier this month, showed that "ancillary revenue", which includes baggage charges, had soared by 62%.”
Source: http://www.guardian.co.uk/money/2008/feb/23/consumeraffairs

Fact Number 5 - The European industry average for lost bags is approx 16.6 in every 1000 – that’s fine as long as it’s not yours with all your baby’s things!
Source: http://www.independent.co.uk/travel/news-and-advice/british-airways-is-secondworst-carrier-in-europe-for-lost-baggage-784415.html

Fact Number 6 - Airline baggage charges from The Guardian
Baggage charges by airline, what you can check in as an economy passenger and what it will cost.
 

Source: http://www.image.guardian.co.uk/sys-files/Guardian/documents/2008/02/22/Whatcanyoutake.pdf