Asiana Airlines to raise excess baggage fees for international flights

Asiana Airlines will increase excess baggage fees for international flights beginning Jan. 2, the carrier said Sunday.

A person weighs luggage at Incheon International Airport on May 19. [YONHAP]

Asiana Airlines will increase excess baggage fees for international flights beginning Jan. 2, the carrier said Sunday.

Additional charges will apply to extra baggage that exceeds the airline’s free allowance.

For short-distance flights of up to 90 minutes departing from Korea, the extra fee for additional luggage will rise to 90,000 won ($67) per piece, up 50 percent from the current 60,000 won. Fees for flights to Europe, Africa and Oceania will increase by 28.5 percent, from 140,000 won to 180,000 won per extra piece. For flights to the United States, the fee will rise by 20 percent, from the current 200,000 won to 240,000 won.

Korea's second-largest airline will also raise fees for excess weight, with charges ranging from 60,000 to 110,000 won.

Passengers can receive a 10 percent discount if they register additional baggage in advance.

Increased fees will also apply to transporting pets. For pets weighing under 32 kilograms (71 pounds), including their cage, the charge will range from 150,000 to 330,000 won, up from the current range of 140,000 to 290,000 won. For pets weighing between 32 and 45 kilograms, the fee will increase from the current maximum of 590,000 won to up to 650,000 won.

This marks Asiana's first increase in excess baggage fees in more than five years, following the last adjustment in July 2019. The airline's decision comes in the wake of similar fee increases by low-cost carriers, including Jeju Air in March, Air Seoul in May, Jin Air in July and Eastar Jet in August, which have raised their excess baggage fees this year due to rising overall costs driven by inflation.

“The price increase is inevitable considering the rise in operating costs of about 30 percent and increases in other expenses, including facility usage fees," said an official from Asiana.

BY WOO JI-WON [woo.jiwon@joongang.co.kr]