New Site iflybags.com Takes Guesswork out of Baggage Fees

By IBTimes Staff Reporter | October 17 2011 12:45 PM

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Have you ever gotten to the airport and realized it'll cost you upwards of $50 just to bring your bag? You may have even searched hours through the Internet for the best fare - but if the company doesn't allow free checked baggage, it may no longer be such a deal.

Screenshot of baggage fees calculator (iflybag.com)

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Baggage fee rules are more confusing than ever with differing prices between airlines or even different routes on the same airline. If it's up to iflybags.com, travelers will no longer have to search through the fine print to figure out how much it'll cost them to check their bags.

While the majority of airlines today charge for checked bags, baggage allowances and fees differ by airline and often create confusion for travelers. What we're doing with iflybags is taking the confusion and frustration out of finding out how much baggage travelers are able to take with them on a flight and the related costs, Jim Davidson, CEO of iflybags parent company, Farelogix, said in press release.

The Web site allows users to check allowances or calculated baggage fees in a simple, currently ad-free layout. Before packing, users can check allowances by simply entering where they are leaving from, destination, which airline, and flight cabin (economy, business, or first).

After the bags are packed, calculate baggage fees by entering the same information plus flight number and the bag weights to find out exactly what the baggage fee will be. One of the best features is the gear button, for those wondering how much extra it will cost for surfboards, strollers, or other miscellaneous sized gear. Hopefully in the future, the Web site will continue to add different types of gear as this information can often be the hardest to find on the airline sites.

Currently, iflybags has baggage information for over 300 airlines with plans to continually expand. The baggage information is updated every hour using Farelogix technology, so consumers aren't surprised by a new price hike.

Iflybags hopes to have an iPhone app available for download in December. Apps for the iPad, blackberry, and other smartphones are currently in development with no set date of release.