Starting in January, Air Canada will introduce an additional fee for basic-economy passengers who bring carry-on luggage larger than a handbag or small backpack. The new policy will apply to flights within the Americas. Passengers opting for the budget-friendly fare will be required to pay $25 for their first piece of carry-on luggage, which includes roller bags and oversized backpacks, and an additional $36 for a second piece.
If passengers fail to pay the fee when booking their tickets or checking in for their flight, they will be subject to a surcharge of $46 at the airport. This move is set to affect budget travelers who will now have to pay extra for carry-on baggage, even when opting for the most affordable ticket option.
Air Canada has stated that the new policy, which takes effect on January 3, is designed to align the airline’s fare structure with similar offerings by other Canadian carriers. However, the move has attracted criticism from Canadian lawmakers. Federal Transport Minister Anita Anand expressed her dissatisfaction with the new policy in a recent interview, stating that the airline needs to reconsider who they are targeting with these excess fees, which she deemed unacceptable.
Furthermore, from January 21, the airline will also start charging low-fare passengers for changing their automatically assigned seats at check-in. This policy had previously sparked a strong negative reaction from customers.
Air Canada’s new carry-on policies mirror those of budget airlines that charge extra for carry-on baggage larger than the one free personal item. Frontier Airlines, for example, has been criticized for encouraging gate agents to catch customers trying to avoid paying carry-on baggage fees. Despite the criticism, Frontier’s CEO Barry Biffle defended the policy, likening those who evade the fees to shoplifters.