Norwegian appears about to join Ryanair and a whole host of U.S. ultra-budget carriers in charging for carry-on luggage. Scandinavian media have been carrying reports that the new fees will take effect in February, althought they have not yet been officially announced.
Sources say that Norwegian will pitch the charge, which won't apply to small personal items that go under a seat, as a way to get its planes in the air faster and improve punctuality. Skeptics point out that Norwegian has been cutting costs, restructuring routes and even trimming its fleet to stay on its financial feet, and doubt that the real reason is anything but revenue.
Ryanair, which imposed the carry-on charge this year, also claimed punctuality as the reason.
Once Norwegian announces the new rules, which are expected to raise the weight limit for checked bags from 20 to 23 kilos, they will likely not apply to tickets already sold, and may be limited to passengers paying the lowest fares.
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