Alaska Airlines has raised its baggage fees, leading many to wonder if other US airlines will follow suit. Baggage costs for travelers are just one of the many ancillary fees that airlines impose that annoy air travelers. Alaska has raised its fee from $30 to $35 for a checked bag for economy passengers without any mileage status or upgrades from a credit card. A second bag will jump from $40 to $45 while anything beyond that will remain at $150. The new baggage fees go into effect on January 2, 2024. "As we navigate rising operating costs — including high fuel prices — we occasionally need to adjust our fee structure to maintain a high level of excellence in the service we provide,” Alaska Air Group said. Alaska hasn’t raised baggage fees in almost six years. Frequent travelers who were previously entitled to a free checked bag will still receive that benefit. Those with credit cards affiliated with Alaska should check with the carrier because they may be entitled to up to three free bags depending on their status.<br/>
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Qatar Airways has announced its 2024 network expansion with new destinations as well as resumptions, bookable ahead of the New Year. Travellers can start planning their 2024 summer travels with the resumption of Venice, Italy in June, followed by the new destination of Hamburg, Germany in July. These gateways will act as a vehicle for increased economic and tourism activity as they connect to Qatar Airways’ award-winning network of over 170 destinations. Venice is expected to see high demand from destinations such as Japan, China and Australia while Hamburg will serve as a gateway to South Africa, Thailand and the Philippines. Qatar Airways Group CEO Eng Badr Mohammed Al-Meer commented: “As this year comes to an end, we are delighted to present our passengers with new and exciting travel opportunities for the year 2024. Starting with our resumption to Venice and an inaugural flight to Hamburg, Qatar Airways and its hub, Hamad International Airport, continues to position itself on the global map as a leading gateway for international travel and connectivity. We look forward to seeing our passengers uncover new experiences and resume flying to their favourite destinations.”<br/>
Japan Airlines flew four domestic flights without required checks and engaged in other irregularities regarding maintenance work, the transport ministry said Friday as it slapped the airline's unit with a business improvement order over the incidents. While the improper maintenance did not directly impact actual services, the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Ministry determined that the case involving JAL Engineering Co. constituted a serious violation that jeopardized airline safety. "We take the ministry's order seriously and will do our utmost to regain our customers' trust," Takeshi Shimizu, a managing board director at JAL Engineering, told a press conference. According to the company and the ministry, a JAL aircraft left Haneda airport in Tokyo in September even though a person in charge had not confirmed the maintenance work record or conducted an inspection of the exterior of the plane. The company was aware of the lack of final checks, as the person in charge reported it. However, no measures were immediately taken to address the situation, allowing the aircraft to be used for a total of four flights between Haneda and Kumamoto airports, as well as Haneda and Takamatsu airports. Division employees believed there would be no problem if the maintenance work were performed later, so they deleted the records from the internal system.<br/>
DHL Express and Japan Airlines (JAL) have signed a long-term contract to utilise JAL’S Boeing 767-300 freighters. The companies said in a press release that they aim to use the new partnership to leverage “growing customer demand in the expanding international express and e-commerce shipping market in the East Asia region”. JAL’s partnership with DHL will support previously announced plans to connect Japan, Seoul, Shanghai, and Taipei using Boeing 767-300ER freighters. Earlier this month, JAL said it would launch freighter operations on 19 February 2024. It has already taken delivery of one 767-300ER freighter converted from its passenger fleet and is due to add a further two 767-300 freighter conversions. The airline first announced it would return to the freighter market after an absence of 13 years in May. In response to the growth of cross-border express shipments, DHL has strengthened its infrastructure network, including the recent inauguration of its expanded Central Asia Hub, its largest hub facility in Asia Pacific. The companies said DHL will further strengthen its intra-East Asia network using the routes which JAL will inaugurate in February. Yuichiro Kito, executive officer, Cargo & Mail of Japan Airlines, said: “We view this agreement as further solidifying the longstanding partnership between JAL and DHL. As we operate our own freighters for the first time in 13 years, we will contribute to solving social issues and also position it as the driver of our company’s dramatic business growth in addition to meeting the growing needs of our customers.”<br/>