American - $15 Charge for FIRST Bag

[JohnLauben]

Also, consider the following.

 

Many (if not most) passengers will incur this new surcharge. That will mean paying additional at time of check-in. (Most likely by credit card.) This will slow check-in times considerably, leading to longer lines. This will lead to a minimum airport check-in time of 3 hours!:eek: (You really don't think that they will add more check-in agents, do you?)

 

Also, how about the services that allow you to check your luggage directly from the cruise ship to your home destination? Will the cruise lines be responsible for collecting this additional "fee" for ONLY certain airlines? Just think of the hassle that this will create for the on-board staff supporting this benefit.

 

Just more proof that the airline industry is the only industry that can treat its customers like garbage, get away with it, and have people coming back for more! A captive audience.:mad:

[TxStacey]

I live in the DFW area where American is headquartered. Unfortunatley our local economy is heavy dependant on American. We have many American Airlines employees that live in our community (5 minutes from DFW airport) and a very close friend of mine's DH is a pilot for them..I don't know if it has been reported in the national news, but locally the topic of UPPER management bonuses is a very sore subject. They are getting MILLIONS in bonuses every year and the employees all took major pay cuts after 911 to prevent the airline from going into bankruptcy. They still make way less now than they did before 911.

There is something very wrong with this picture....Is $15.00 going to break me? no way..but am I a little put off by the big picture..yes I am..just my .02 worth.

[Aidansmommy2]

Another reason (among many) that I do not fly...period! I hate flying, not to mention i'm terrified of it so I only do it when absolutely necessary! I'm so glad we live near enough to several ports that we can drive to our cruises.:) You'd think that they would give every passenger a bit of vaseline at the very least when you buy your ticket, it's the least they could do!:eek:

Happy cruising:)

Barb

[exarolf]

I'm sure that will be true for some, but I doubt it will change my travel habits much. If I'm going on a short business trip, I try not to have checked bags, anyway. If I'm going on vacation, I'd much rather pay the $15 each way than try to figure out how to pack everything I need into carryon bags, including making sure I have no liquids or gels other than those 3 oz or less that all fit in a 1 qt Ziploc bag . . . . Not worth it to save a few bucks.

 

As much as I hate it, fuel costs are getting so high that the cost of travel is going to increase.

 

Hopefully people will move towards the mentality that they've had enough. A $15 increase in fare is one thing - a $15 supplement on your first bag is just plain (or plane) silly... This now forces people who pack liquids (eye solution etc etc) to pay a supplement...

 

I for one think this dog won't hunt... Of course if we have collusion, and all the other airlines file in, then we have a problem, and I may have to start flying Southwest..........

[aggieastrosfan]

Unfortunately I think this is just the sneaky way the airlines are raising prices. Sooner or later we're just going to see a flat air fare hike in addition to all the niggling little add-ons.

 

And I wish they would do this. Trying to price airfare is getting really difficult.

 

2 weeks ago we flew Delta and if you were in zones 4 or later to board you were dang lucky to find a spot for your carryons in the bins. I saw people with 2 carryons and then a back pack, it was ridiculous. There were also people bringing on way too big carryons.

 

This is what AA's policy is going to do. Thankfully, we bought tickets for our two AA trips this year before May 12th (including for our 9 day cruise!), so we'll get the 2nd bag, also. But we plan on really minimizing carryons for our cruise because I know the entire plane is going to try and bring the kitchen sink in the cabin with them. :rolleyes:

 

Which means it's all going into checked bags. While I doubt our toddler will need 2 50-lb bags, it's nice to know we have the option of spreading our stuff out a bit!

[RetireeWannabee]

prior to this or any extra baggage charges, some of the carry on luggage sizes was neyond questionable...now I cant imagine some of the bags that people are going to try to get on

Absolutely and one of my pet peeves - why aren't they forceed to check that giant rolling bag?!!

 

I would absolutely expect gate agents to now be The Enforcers. I only hope that such enforcement begins well before boarding - let's get these people paid up and the luggage stuck back in cargo with everyone elses long before flight time.

 

the last-minute folks can have their stuff thrown on the cargo flats before they take em over to unload the checked baggage. I'm not in favor of people waiting until the last minute to have their stuff put in with strollers in order to get their bags first. Let em wait for their bags at Baggage Claim with the rest of us.

[firefly333]

It's $132.44 right now - according to http://www.oil-price.net/

 

I feel so much better now..:)so much more in control of my life savings

- now my wallet's been completely ripped off from under me.:)

 

Its now $133.53. Oil futures were up over $9 my tv was announcing about 5 am this morning. Traders say this is unheard of to rise over $9 overnight. Oil futures fell back, but starting back up.

 

I had CNBC on when I posted the price earlier, wasnt pulling the number out of my hat. Im a news junkie.

[dclark]

. An added fee of $15/way for the first bag is not a king's ransom, it's more like a couple of foo-foo drinks or a couple of gallons of gas for my economy car.

 

.

 

You can rationalize it out all you want, but it is a LOT of $! For my family of four checking in a total of 8 bags, it would cost $520 rt. Sorry, but that is a lot more than a couple of "foo-foo drinks".

[Cathy p]

We are flying Airtran in October and so far they have the free 1 bag and $10 for an addtional bag as long as it is under 50 lbs.

 

Angie, my prayers are with you and your DH that he will not loose his job.

[JediSkipdogg]

All this is ultimately going to lead to is less people flying AA. They will now have to factor in $15 more for each ticket and in the airline industry, sometimes $15 is all it takes to get a different flight. And this is something I don't even see succeeding due to FAA laws. Now people have no way to take some items with them while flying. It's just going to put the travel business out of business.

[Flip2cruise]

You can rationalize it out all you want, but it is a LOT of $! For my family of four checking in a total of 8 bags, it would cost $520 rt. Sorry, but that is a lot more than a couple of "foo-foo drinks".

 

 

$520!! WOW..a few months ago, I read an article that many people are using a baggage service that send their luggage to the final destination.

 

The prices seemed high at the time, but if you are already paying $500 it might be something to consider.

 

I sail solo and was already planning to pare down my luggage. Guess now I have more incentive and will have to try to be the first zone on board to my carryon bag stowed.

[Cruising89143]

prior to this or any extra baggage charges, some of the carry on luggage sizes was neyond questionable...now I cant imagine some of the bags that people are going to try to get on

 

I personally think that they should make anyone check a carry on that will not fit properly in the overhead bins. I have seen some carry ons that just made me shake my head. It also slows down the boarding process.

[cruiserbryce]

I bet the giant rolling bag will be checked now since it is worth $15 to AA

[Cruising89143]

There will now be more arguments against formal nights more than ever with the extra charges. This should also cause the cruise lines to do more business with the laundry/dry cleaning business. I would rather take less clothes anyway and have them washed on the ship.

[tershall]

I happened to catch Live with Regis & Kelly one day when Kelly had just returned from a vacation. Her strategy for checked/carry on luggage - she packs everything and has it mailed to her destination (the resort). I could see this working if you had a pre-cruise hotel night (I don't think the cruise line would accept delivery). I am seriously considering doing this for our cruise in September - just think no luggage hassles at all. I have already checked with the hotel and they will accept delivery since we have a guaranteed room.

[kingsgirl]

Just back from the store and heard on the radio.....

In June, United will start charging $15 for womens purse as second carry on. :eek: :eek:

 

How ridiculous!!! :mad:

 

***

 

WHAT! Is this a joke??

[ElvisandTracey]

This really chaps my hide since I am forced to fly AA on my next cruise because they seem to be the only airline that can get me nonstop from LAX to FLL or MIA without taking a red eye, which I can't do with kids. We will have like 8-9 bags for the 5 of us, and I will be paying $15 per bag-that's insane.:mad:

[Globaliser]

You can rationalize it out all you want, but it is a LOT of $! For my family of four checking in a total of 8 bags, it would cost $520 rt.

How do you get to $520? $15 first bag + $25 second bag = $40, x 4 pax = $160, x round trip = $320.

 

Anyway, maybe more people will now discover that it's perfectly possible to do a week's cruise with one bag weighing no more than 50 lbs, including formal wear. I'm sure there's no magic weightless material in my clothes.

[Globaliser]

Those words keep bouncing around and around. I heard it when the fuel surcharges were first announced. Heard it again when the second bag fee was announced. I think it's safe to say that it's no longer a matter of the charges not holding but more a matter of how long before the other carriers make their announcements.

Some charges stick, some don't. It all depends on whether other carriers follow suit. As G'ma says, if others don't, then this will probably get dropped.

[jbrambach]

This really chaps my hide since I am forced to fly AA on my next cruise because they seem to be the only airline that can get me nonstop from LAX to FLL or MIA without taking a red eye, which I can't do with kids. We will have like 8-9 bags for the 5 of us, and I will be paying $15 per bag-that's insane.:mad:

 

And as someone pointed out to me earlier, $15 for your first bag and $25 for your 2nd. So it looks like you will have to pay $25 each for the additional 3 to 4 bags. It does add up quick:mad: . It is also making me think of forgetting the airlines altogether and taking cruises that leave closer to my home.

[exarolf]

For those of you who can put a decent point together (eg AA will lose revenue to to this first bag penalty......), try emailing:

 

Sean Bentel

Manager, customer relations

(817) 963-1234

sean.bentel@aa.com

Secondary contact (*)

(Note: American says e-mailing its executives is the slowest way to get a response from the carrier. Slower than sending it a letter. Slower than faxing it.)

Ralph Richardi

Senior vice president, customer services

(817) 963-1234

ralph.richardi@aa.com

Chief executive (*)

Gerard J. Arpey

President and chief executive officer

(817) 963-1234

gerard.arpey@aa.com

 

Money talks - and so do your voices....

[gbcruise]

Looks like I will be checking in to shipping our clothing to the rental house ahead of time, I believe it will be alot cheaper than the $180 round trip for the 6 travelers in our party plus we dont have to worry about lost luggage or baggage claim. I'm starting to think their will be surcharges for breathing room oxygen!

[Cruise Junky]

And as someone pointed out to me earlier, $15 for your first bag and $25 for your 2nd. So it looks like you will have to pay $25 each for the additional 3 to 4 bags. It does add up quick:mad: . It is also making me think of forgetting the airlines altogether and taking cruises that leave closer to my home.

 

Pretty sure on AA's website it said the 3rd and 4th bags are $100 each.

 

Yep, here it is....

Q. How much will it cost to check more than two bags?

 

A. For flights within the United States the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico and Canada:

 

 

$100 per piece for the 3rd, 4th and 5th checked bags

$200 per piece for the 6th checked bag and any additional pieces

[mek]

Absolutely ridiculous since I can no longer pack my cosmetics and toiletries in my carry on luggage. Regardless of how frugal I am when packing, there is no way around these items and I automatically have to check in at least one bag. I wouldn't be surprised if someone challenges this in court.

[Globaliser]

Regardless of how frugal I am when packing, there is no way around these items and I automatically have to check in at least one bag. I wouldn't be surprised if someone challenges this in court.

There's nothing unlawful about this. AA is not the first airline to charge for all checked baggage. And there are plenty of people who can manage to fly without having to check any baggage, even if they are staying overnight or more at their destination. I do it all the time.

 

But if you find yourself unable to do this, then you might want to choose another airline. That is what choice is all about!