Says New Fee Gives Pax "More Cost-Saving Options"

Mesa's Air Group's money-losing go! Airlines announced this week that starting August 10, 2008 it will begin charging a first-checked-bag service charge of $10 on all of its interisland flights, to offset the increases in the cost of fuel and, to quote a Mesa release, "to give go! passengers more cost-saving options."

With the introduction of the first-checked-bag fee, go! has reduced its second-checked-bag fee to $17, from the $25 previously announced last month. In other words, passengers planning to check two bags anyway will now pay $2 more than before (in this day and age, we suppose "cost-saving options" cost money, too -- Ed.)

The second-checked-bag fee applies to passengers who purchased tickets on or after June 25, 2008 for travel on or after July 15, 2008.

"Fuel costs have more than doubled since we first entered the Hawaiian market," said Jonathan Ornstein, Mesa Air Group Chairman and CEO. "In this extremely challenging environment we remain committed to providing the best interisland service at the lowest possible cost and are working to provide options instead of raising overall cost of travel," he continued.

The $10 first-checked-bag fee takes effect for travel that begins on August 10, 2008. Customers exempt from paying the fee include passengers who purchased their tickets for travel prior to July 10, corporate fliers, and seven or fewer people traveling on the same reservation as someone with exempt status.

Car seats, carriers and strollers are also exempt, as are wheelchairs and other personal assistive devices.

FMI: www.iflygo.com