The free carry-on bag, once considered a given for even the most basic airplane seat, has received another blow. Air Canada has become the second major Canadian airline within the past year to make its cheapest ticket one without complimentary carry-on luggage on some flights.
The airline said that passengers who purchase the lowest-priced basic economy for Caribbean routes on or after Jan. 3, 2025, will only be allowed to bring one personal item, with no carry-on included, and will have to pay to check any bags beyond the personal item.
Personal items include smaller bags such as purses or a computer bag that can be stowed under the seat in front of you.
Carry-on luggage refers to duffel bags and small roller bags that would normally be stored in compartments above the seats.
Those bags will now have to be checked before passengers go through security, at a fee of $35 for a first bag and $50 for a second. Any passenger who fails to check their bag before security and arrives at their gate with an ineligible carry-on will be required to check it — and to pay an elevated fee of $65. The change does not apply to those with Star Alliance Gold or certain other memberships.
The days of changing your seat for free during check-in will soon be over for Air Canada passengers with the basic fare as well. Beginning Jan. 21, 2025, those who are travelling on a basic fare will be unable to change their seat from the one generated automatically at check-in unless they pay a fee.
How expensive that fee will be depends on the new seat chosen, the airline said, without providing further detail.
It’s also unclear if the charges for seat swaps will apply to all routes, or if they also apply to flights that were purchased prior to the changes but will occur after Jan. 21.
The changes come months after WestJet added its controversial Ultrabasic ticket, which also doesn’t allow travellers to bring a carry-on or swap their seats without paying a fee.
