[RBS] OT: Changes and "Improvements" in El Al Baggage - MUST PROTEST before it's too late!

[Phil'n'Chanie Rosenfelder]

this is NOT a chain letter, or maybe it is, but i checked into it, it is
true, and can be a big problem for many of us, so here it is....
shana tova
gemar hatima tova
chanie


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IF YOU FLY ABROAD AND LIKE ME, AND PREFER EL-AL PLEASE READ THE BELOW MAIL
AND FORWARD IT TO EVERYONE YOU KNOW!

SHANA TOVA


Date: Tue, Sep 27, 2011 at 10:24 AM
Subject: VERY IMPORTANT: Changes and "Improvements" in El Al Baggage - MUST
PROTEST before it's too late

Hi everyone,

I rarely if ever send out group e-mails asking people to protest about
something, but this is something that will probably affect all or almost all
of you at some point or another, so I'd very much appreciate your taking the
time to read this:

I just got an e-mail from El Al announcing their "changes and improvements
in baggage policy." If you always fly business class or are a gold,
platinum, or top flyer, then, yes, there actually are improvements. For the
rest of us, a sneaky little change they inserted in their baggage chart
(they didn't even write it up as a change because they probably knew how
much it would upset people) is that for economy class tickets booked to or
from North America from November 1 and on - only ONE SUITCASE of 23 kg (50
lbs) is allowed (even for silver frequent flyers). Yup, that's right -
they've just chopped the baggage allowance in half under the very innocuous
heading of "changes and improvements." (Go to the bottom of the chart on
this link to confirm it for yourselves:

*
http://www.elal.co.il/ELAL/English/MatmidFrequentFlyer/NewsAndDeals/DealsAndBenefits_items/EN_Baggage_Policy_260911
)
*
In case you figure that you'll just pay for an extra piece of luggage, each
ADDITIONAL 23-KG SUITCASE COSTS $240 in each direction! In other words, for
most normal flyers who need two pieces of luggage in at least one direction
- El Al is effectively raising all economy class ticket prices to North
America by $240 - and for those who need two pieces of luggage in both
directions - the price is being raised by an astounding $480!!!

I know that charging for a second suitcase has become somewhat of a trend
among American airlines (why not milk the passengers for all they're worth,
if not more?), but I hope that if enough of us protest loudly enough, we can
get El Al to reverse the fee. Below is an e-mail that I am sending to El Al
(customer at elal.co.il) - feel free to copy and paste or to make changes or to
write your own - but PLEASE DO TAKE TWO MINUTES to do so. It's only if they
get a massive number of e-mails that we might have a chance at this. And
please FORWARD this to everyone you know who may need to fly El Al to / from
North America at any point in the future (and the media as well).

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To Whom It May Concern:

I am a Matmid member of El Al since 1986, as are other members of my
immediate family.  I am shocked to discover that, starting November 1, the
baggage allowance of those flying economy class to and from North America is
being halved from two pieces of luggage to one.

Since you will now charge $240 for an additional piece of luggage, you are,
in effect, raising the prices of economy class tickets by as much as 50
percent!  ($240 each way = $480 total, and tickets to New York are currently
available for $999)

This is, of course, totally ridiculous and unacceptable, and entirely out of
line with the fees charged by other airlines.  For example, KLM allows 2
pieces of luggage between Israel and North America, Alitalia charges $75 for
a second piece of luggage to and from North America, and Delta either offers
2 free pieces of luggage, or a second piece at $60.

Until now, I have made it a point of flying  El Al as much as possible, but
from now on, I would first consider any airline whose baggage policies have
remained reasonable, unlike yours. Therefore, I strongly urge you to rethink
this new policy and continue allowing all passengers two free pieces of
luggage on flights to and from North America.

While I do appreciate your excellent security, and I am quite in favor of
supporting our national airline, I am NOT wealthy, and find this new policy
totally unreasonable and unacceptable. Should this new policy come into
effect, I shall have no choice but to seek out other flying options.

Very truly yours,
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