Airlines to start charging fee for 1st. checked bag

[canadagal]

American Airlines has just announced that they will start charging $15.00 for the first checked bag. I guess it won't be long before other airlines follow the lead. Maybe this will be the precursor to no mandatory formal nights on the cruiselines. I think it's a big gouge myself.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080521/bs_nm/amr_dc_3

Pat

[cruiseluv]

Frankly, it's either that or raise fares, probably both.

[RachelG]

Won't have any effect on me (lifetime platinum), but I am happy they are charging extra rather than raising fares across the board. And I would say that even if I had to pay the fee. If I choose to take more stuff, I should have to pay more.

[wishIweretravelling]

The problem with this is not the fee, it's what's going to happen in the airplane cabin. Everyone will try to bring aboard and stow their rolling suitcases, making an already difficult situation at boarding even worse. I'd rather they increase the fares than add yet more delay and discomfort to the already-miserable experience of air travel.

[RachelG]

I totally agree that the cabin is going to be a mess--but I think they should charge for carryon's too after the first bag. Anything other than one (whether it be a suitcase or handbag or computer case) should be charged for.

[canadagal]

That is my biggest concern too.......that the carry on luggage will increase and it will be a scramble to board and find an empty overhead bin. People already push the limits at what they take onboard the plane so the airlines are going to have to start cracking down and start enforcing the size limit of the carry-ons. Some of the stuff I've seen people being allowed to carry onboard is way over stipulated measurements. This won't effect most business travelers as they usually only take carry-ons anyhow but what about the tourist family with 4 kids going on holiday. That's 6 people X $15.00 =$ 90.00 extra each way......I can hardly see most tourist travelers getting on a plane with only hand luggage. I hate how they are putting separate charges on everything. It used to be you paid one price and everything was included......now they charge separately for food, headsets, blankets, fuel surcharges, aisle seats, seats closer to the front and now checked luggage. I wonder what else they can think up to charge the pax for? You can only raise prices so much before the average Joe stops traveling as much.

Pat

[klauer]

Agree with the other posters -- it's not the $15 I care so much about, it's the

idea of so many people bringing the largest possible carry-ons and trying to stow them. There is no way that I could pack for a one week cruise without checking a bag, and it takes the same amount of room in my suitcase to bring a casual dress as a cocktail (formal night) dress.

[ChatKat in Ca.]

On top of having the luggage tagged and weighed you will now need to wait in line to have the person in front of you dig through their pockets, purses and bags to search for enough money to pay the stupid fee. I think that all of this ala carte pricing will eventually go away and the dust will settle with higher flat pricing. Someone will market it to passengers and we will like lemmings flock to that airline. Remember the movie "I am mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it any more?"

[cruiseluv]

You know, maybe I'm weird, but in the current environment of through the roof oil prices I totally understand the airlines having to raise prices. I just would prefer a higer fare price and let's forget about the nickeling and diming and a la carte fees.

 

Funny, I didn't see this much outrage when Regent has astronomically raised their prices in the last 2 years.

[traveller333]

I completely understand the airlines need to make money to stay in business but I'd rather pay more up front in fares and be done with it. I think charging to check ONE bag is ridiculous. Some airlines are also charging for an aisle or a window seat now.All these additional fees yet the service continues to decline. What about young families with children who must check things like car seats and strollers, will they be charged additional fees for that?

[basedow]

I read that there would not be a charge for car seats or a stroller.

 

I also just read that United is raising its base fee $6o.00 for trips over 750 miles and also might be charging for a checked bag.

 

It will be quite some summer!

[gazuccio]

Alot of this has to do with business travelers not checking luggage. This has been talked about in the airline industry for some time and with the recent increase in fuel prices it worked out perfectly. There was always so many complaints that why do I pay the same fair that a person who is checking luggage. This was precipitated by the people that didn't want food on the palne so why should I have to pay for it syndrome. These issues have long been issues before now but are making headlines because they are now tapping this in line with the fuel prices - it is true though that they need more funds for the fuel. This was one way to pay for it. But yes the nickle dime mentality is tough to take and one can only wonder howm much more people can take. I just can't wait until my flight to LAX the Tahiti - should make the boarding process even longer....

[traveller333]

I guess I look at it differently. Business people have always had the option to check luggage if they wanted to. If they chose not to, so be it.That was a choice they made. It's kind of like the all inclusive on Regent ships. There were those who didn't want this because they don't drink and felt like they were subsidizing others who did.

[JoAnne B]

I haven't seen whether Continental has adopted this, and it won't impact me as a Platinum member. Except that just when people got used to putting scissors, liquids, etc. in their checked bags, and they switched to on-line checkin and speedy baggage drops, the airlines are going to slow down the process to deal with lines of customers having to pay their $15 at the last minute.

 

It's really a lame way to nickle and dime the customers. The majority of people travel with at least one checked bag, so keep the first bag included in the fare. I don't care as much about the fee as I am about a speedy checkin.

 

JoAnne B

Houston

[basedow]

JoAnne, I think there will be 3 different checkin lines now. One for frequent fliers who know the drill, one for casual fliers who may not be so quick and a third line for families with children and others who may need more time.

 

Basedow

[canadagal]

JoAnne, I think there will be 3 different checkin lines now. One for frequent fliers who know the drill, one for casual fliers who may not be so quick and a third line for families with children and others who may need more time.

 

Basedow

 

I myself can't see that happening. As it is now........there is a separate line for business/first class/upper tier members of the airlines loyalty groups/ a separate line for those that already checked in online and the other line for everyone else. To allocate another line would mean another agent and in the airline's cash strapped world......that's the last thing I see them doing. Nice thought though.

Pat