American Airlines starts charging $15 for one checked bag
Like many people, I do several stupid, inconvenient things “on principle.” Things like always checking my luggage because after all, if airlines wanted you to carry all your luggage with you in the cabin they wouldn’t offer to check your bags.
And beyond that, it takes time to shove overstuffed canvas into bins above your head (probably the un-cited cause of many a delayed flight), and everyone usually looks stupid doing it.
But I think I’m going to have to swallow my pride and look like an idiot the next time I fly on American Airlines: they’ve decided to charge $15 for one checked bag (with some exclusions):
Today, American introduced a $15 fee for the first checked bag, given the increasing costs of transporting checked baggage. This fee, which is effective for tickets purchased on or after June 15, does not apply to: American’s AAdvantage program members who have achieved AAdvantage Gold, AAdvantage Platinum and AAdvantage Executive Platinum level; those who have purchased full-fare tickets in the Economy, Business and First Class cabins; and those with international itineraries.
To be fair, American Airlines does cite ridiculous fuel prices and a sluggish American economy as reasons for introducing new fees and dropping a significant percentage of their “available seat miles flown.” And I’m sure they are hurting for those reasons. The real question is how much of their business the new fees will kill, given that other Airlines may not follow suit.
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
Of course, the interesting thing will be how this goes in combination with the current liquids restrictions. I can see a lot of messes in security as occasional flyers and tourists get tripped up badly by this.
If you look like an idiot, that’s a separate problem. Checking baggage just begs the airline to make it disappear. They and the airports have proven themselves incapable of not screwing this up for a significant number of travelers, and it will only get worse. Nothing ruins a trip more than arriving at your destination without your stuff. And why waste even more time waiting in baggage claim? I already spend way too much time in airports as it is. No thanks!
@SJ - fair point - sooner or later the airlines are going to clash with TSA as far as providing ways for people to travel with the stuff they want. My guess: passengers will lose…
@Derek - I know it’s irrational. But I travel a lot and my luggage is rarely lost (although to be fair, when it did happen, it was REALLY inconvenient), so to me the unencumbered 6 hours of travel and wait time is worth the extra 15 minutes to get your bag back at the end of the trip.
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