Air Canada introducing contested carry-on bag fee to stay competitive, executive says

Air Canada decided to introduce carry-on baggage fees for some customers to stay competitive with changing market forces in the country, a company executive told a parliamentary committee on Friday. Earlier this month, Air Canada said it would charge passengers for bigger carry-on bags if they opted for its lowest-priced fare for North American and Caribbean routes starting on Jan. 3. Lawmakers in Canada and the United States have criticized airlines in recent weeks for levying additional fees on luggage and seat assignments, following an outpouring of anger by passengers on social med Air Canada Executive Vice President of Revenue and Network Planning Mark Galardo told lawmakers the carrier is adding the fees to remain competitive after rival carriers such as privately-held WestJet Airlines made similar changes. Affected passengers can board with one small personal item such as a purse, but require larger items such as a duffel bag to be checked for C$35 ($24.58). The committee asked Air Canada and its competitors to submit internal documents about projected revenues from baggage fees.<br/>