New Baggage Charge

[christinelee]

American Airlines will start charging $15 for the first checked bag, cut domestic flights and lay off workers as it grapples with record-high fuel prices.

The nation's largest carrier said Wednesday the fee for the first checked bag starts June 15 and that it would raise other fees for services ranging from reservation help to oversized bags. The other fees will mostly range from $5 to $50 per service, the airline said.

Last month American announced it would join other carriers in charging $25 for second bags checked for some passengers, but it wasn't immediately clear how Wednesday's announcement would affect that.

American plans to cut domestic flight capacity by 11 percent to 12 percent in the fourth quarter. American had previously expected fourth-quarter capacity to fall 4.6 percent from the same period in 2007.

Parent AMR Corp. said reduced flying will lead to an undisclosed number of job cuts at both American and its American Eagle subsidiary.

AMR expects to retire 45 to 50 planes from its fleet, most of them gas-guzzling MD-80 aircraft. Those were the plane grounded for faulty wiring last month.

American said rising oil prices have increased its expected annual fuel costs by nearly $3 billion since the start of the year.

AMR shares tumbled $1.10, or 13.4 percent, to $7.10 after the announcement which came as its shareholders gathered for their annual meeting.

[Sea and Me]

If you purchased your airline tickets on or before 5/12/08 and before 6/15/08 you have your first bag free no charge. After those dates they charge for the first bag. Each second bag is $25.00. Boy these are the days I would love to live closer to the ports.

[shark_bait]

Saw this coming. Figured it would be the trickle up effect, not starting at the top. I predict ALL major US carrier's will have this in place within a year. Cost to fly is what it is and we are all smart enough to figure out luggage cost's.

 

What bother's me with this whole thing is that more and more people are going to do whatever they can to travel with just carry on luggage with these policies. You know what that means? More time on the tarmac as people try to shove luggage in the overhead bins. Not to mention that you are going to want to be on that plane as early as possible, before there isn't any room left in the overhead bins. All this translates into even longer days to get somewhere. Ugggh I hate flying!!!! But not as much as I hate Michigan Winter's.:D

[Toto2Kansas]

I honestly hope the airlines will keep a closer eye on the size and number of carrys ons. I can still remember back in the days when they allowed two, but most took on three or four and finding space in the overhead bins was a totaly nitemare. The last few years, it has been so easy to tuck the one carry on per person in a bin, but I am afraid there will be some that really push this now and try to take on all they can.

 

It could get very interesting.

 

And here I thought flying with all these restrictions was bad, it is about to get a LOT worse. :(