American Airlines has just announced that it will begin charging a $15 fee for the first checked bag starting June 15. The airline also said that it would raise fees for things like “reservation help” and “oversized bags.”
CEO Gerard “$15 Fee For Knowing My Middle Name” Arpey said:
“The airline industry as it is constituted today was not built to withstand oil prices at $125 a barrel, and certainly not when record fuel expenses are coupled with a weak U.S. economy,” AMR Chairman and CEO Gerard Arpey said in a statement. “Our company and industry simply cannot afford to sit by hoping for industry and market conditions to improve.”
Well, damn.
American to begin charging for first checked bag [AP]
American Airlines to trim schedule, boost baggage fees [Dallas Morning News] (Thanks, Travis!)
(Photo: Zonaphoto )
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Yet when Skybus (R.I.P.) charged for bags, food, etc, people cried.
@kepler11: 25$ for ground service is not bad, when it’s insured and not opened by strangers. Sure beats 15$ and lost.
For a trip that I’d actually check a bag (2 weeks or more), sending a bag via fedex or ups wouldn’t be bad at all. The problem is that as I’m going to Ireland this summer, I’d have to wait for my bag to clear customs before I get it in Donegal. Otherwise I’d be shipping directly to my landlord there.
@basket548: It’ a sad state of affairs when checking a bag is considered an “extra service”. Who knew I was being frivolous because I check my luggage–as I tend to travel with more than just a change of clothes and a toothbrush. But I guess clean underware is just for wealthy people who can afford all of these extra premium services.
No doubt, as we are a society of lemmings, all the other airlines with the exception of Southwest will follow suit with their own “extra service” fees. But for now, I will avoid American Airlines like the plague and pray Southwest flies where I need to go. Southwest is the only decent airline left out of the greedy lot.
The U.S should take a lesson from Europe and Japan about how effective and efficient train travel can be if widely implemented. We need high speed bullet trains crisscrossing this country as a viable alternative to air travel to keep the airlines in check. Maybe then luggage wouldn’t be considered a premium service.
Amtrak shouldn’t underestimate the hatred people have for air travel nowadays. If Amtrak was smart (sadly they aren’t) it would capitalize on all this airline price gouging.
This is a bad,bad, bad idea. People are just going to try to cram more and more into the overhead bins that already weren’t designed to handle the volume they get. Until every passenger has an in cabin assign spot in an overhead bin large enough to hold a roll aboard this fee is complete BS. Its going to make longer lines at security as people bring more through. Security will be slower since people will be trying to sneak stuff through and have to be searched more often, and it will lead to much anger and competition over bin space.
@basket548: I respectfully remove my earlier mention of you being a shill. Your arguments are coherent and fact filled. Sorry about that.
@Lambasted: Wholeheartedly agree on your Amtrak comment…if they weren’t run by the idiots that the government didn’t want in other departments, that would probably happen…you know, since the government doesn’t appear to know how to fire anyone…ever…
@Ash78: I’ve printed the current contract of carriage to contest this if they don’t.
I just got back from my honeymoon where I had to fly AA from EWR to LAX (before continuing onto Australia). Anyway, I can’t believe that they force you to pay for food on that long of a flight! And if you want normal food, ie, a sandwich, it’s $10. We bought a can of Lays Stax because a whole can of those was only $3, by far the best deal. Our other option was a cheese plate for $5 that consisted of like 4 crackers and 2 cheese squares. WTF!
Luckily, I had brought half of the sub I had for lunch so we shared that and our flight attendant gave us 2 warm cookies from first class since it was our honeymoon…. and champagne. At least she made it worthwhile.
@design_chick: You could always upgrade to Business or 1st class…those still get nice meals included…and probably the first bag too…
“The airline industry as it is constituted today was not built to withstand oil prices at $125 a barrel, and certainly not when record fuel expenses are coupled with a weak U.S. economy,” AMR Chairman and CEO Gerard Arpey said in a statement. “Our company and industry simply cannot afford to sit by hoping for industry and market conditions to improve.”
Somebody call a wah-mbulance.
Damn, this is part of why I avoid flying at all costs. Between the total loss of dignity going through security, juggling all of your things out of and back into their bags, people pawing through my alloted 3oz bottles of liquids, the nickel and diming of the airlines, the seats that barely leave leg room for a TODDLER and the utter lack of concern that any of their employees seem to have when you get inconvenienced or even plain old screwed over, and it’s just not worth the stress. It takes a trip of greater than 1,000 miles before I even consider buying a plane ticket. Bah.
@Crymson_77:
I’m not asking for a “nice” meal. I don’t mind if it is a crappy sandwich, just don’t make me pay $10 for it. Luckily, we never check our bags… we’re light packers.
@The Count of Monte Fisto: Cheaper than that plane, I’ll tell ya that much.
How many times do I have to say it?
FLY NAKED.
Can they please start charging more for people who hang over my arm rest? I’ll that the $15 hit if I know they had to stand on a scale and be charged another $30 because they weight more than two of my checked bags and me combined.
So you buy a ticket you can’t refund (unless you pay extra)… then they jack up the price to actually use it.
There’s got to be something illegal in there somewhere.
On a sidenote: I think there are a couple of Amtrak employees lurking here. Amtrak police do indeed go through bags and screen passengers, it’s just more random than the airports, but it’s still done.
This is stupid. If the nickel and dime fees are meant to offset lost profits due to unexpected fuel increases, why not just have one fee – “Fuel is more expensive now fee” ? It would be more honest as to what the fee is about, offest a legitimate problem for the airlines, and underscore to the consumer fuel prices are the real issue. Fees for checking minimum luggage or reservation help make it appear those things are optional luxuries.
@digitalgimpus: I’d rather be checked rarely than be stripped search certainly…
@basket548: Ow! I skinned my knee on the astroturf!
/astroturfer
@ottergal: You got it exactly right with the gate check issue. I fly all the time (though only Southwest recently, thank god) and, at least on SW, you’re kind of a jerk if you bring lots of large bags on and try to throw them in the overhead. They much prefer you to check your bags rather than deal with stuffing them in the overhead and deal with gate checking (that said, I am that jerk, I hate having my bags lost). So it seems that AA is setting up a pretty large economic incentive to make boarding their planes even more of a logistical pain. You’re going to have every jerk on the plane bringing his bag on, then fighting for overhead space and eventually gate checking. I can’t imagine they have a good system in place for charging for gate checking (plus, like you said, no one would stand for it). So, congratulations AA, thanks to this fee you’re going to have more late flights and fights with customers! Great idea!
When I saw this, I scrolled up and voted for American.
@ChuckECheese: Actually had to look up that term, never heard it before.
Nope, just my opinion as someone who generally has a more economics-focused / corporate mindset. I like to pretend I’m a realist.
@basket548: You don’t get the point. They should find the FARE PRICE that prevents them from going bankrupt, charge that, and dispense with the stupid fees.
Sheesh.
@Ash78: The FairTax would also screw over everyone who’s invested in a Roth IRA.
@speedwell: Saw figures recently that showed British Airways loses more bags, on average, than the worst of the U.S.-based carriers. Pretty pathetic.
Can we just let them go out of business instead of bailing them out? Let them compete like others have to and if they do… good riddance.
I’m tired of being packed in like cattle, overbooked flights, flight attendants that are unresponsive or even rude.
I once had an AA flight out of Columbus, OH once where the flight crew didn’t show up. WTF?
How long until we have a fee for carry-ons? And how long until wearing clothing costs extra? “Pants? Sir, those add weight! $10 fee!”
Anyone know if Jetblue has changed anything recently? I have 4 booked round trips with Jetblue in June.
Dear Big Airlines:
I can’t wait till you all go bankrupt and leaner, better, smarter airlines come in to fill in the huge gaps your shitty, incompetent, companies have been incapable of filling. Unless of course the feds bail you out yet again like a bunch of welfare queens.
Die in a fire,
xoxoxoxox
Comms
@Comms: You should have finished it like so:
“Die in a fire with a stick up your ass so we can roast you like a marshmallow”
@humphrmi:
Oh, I get the point. The issue is that you’re defining fare price waaay differently than I am. I’m saying that fare includes transporting the person, period. You’re saying that fare price should include the person, his luggage, curbside check-in, a meal, and telephone customer assistance in booking (not trying to prattle on, but these are the things that airlines charge extra for).
I contend that not everyone uses all these things, and hence airline pricing should reflect that.
To see how it plays out, take two airlines, one with my policies, one with yours. When a consumer searches on kayak.com, they see both fares. Joe Sixpack will get all excited when he sees my lower fares, and hence book with me, even though it may end up costing him more with my method than with yours. Americans have by and large voted with their wallets on airfare, but now that the airlines offer essentially different products, consumers will have to become more educated about which airlines charge fees and for which services.
@basket548: Yeah, Internet price comparison sites encourage this sort of thing. Sort of like how the place with the cheapest price for anything on Pricewatch usually wants to charge you a $30 “handling fee.”
I wish the aggregate fare searchers (like Orbitz and Travelocity and the like) would start asking how many bags you’re checking along with all the other information at the beginning, and then when it comes up with all the flights and prices, it gives a true total price (including the flight price, the different bag fees, and all the taxes/surcharges).
This way we can make an apple to apple comparision (and not get fooled that AA is $20 cheaper when with two bags it ends up being more expensive).
How about start making bags with one side made of aluminum, and the airlines start buying plane skeletons. They then pay you to use your aluminum-plated luggage to complete the hull of the aircraft. That way luggage is part of the weight of the aircraft itself, and not tagging along to eat fuel!
Okay, so that idea is way too far out there for the airlines to actually use. I’ll be more realistic by making the airline charge you for the right to use your bag.
The problem with this is that it doesn’t mesh at all with the restriction on many items that can’t go on a carry-on. Basically, it’s a catch-22 in that it takes advantage of the security restrictions and makes you pay 15 bucks to take things that the federal government forbids from carrying on the plane.
In other words, they are taking advantage of the security threat to make some extra cash. I think it is time for Congress to get involved.
go ahead and ship your bags as suggested. Then the airport gestapo will have fun pulling you out of line and inserting fingers where fingers are not meant to go
Coming up next on Eyewitness News… an airline that charges for collecting and scanning tickets from you at the gate. Stay here and we’ll have more for you in just a moment.
@basket548: Ugghhhh…. Exxon is one of the companies speculating and driving up fuel prices. Add to that their refusal to build new refineries and that’s what they are making record profits.
‘Course I don’t mind too much. Americans are finally being forced to conserve. Wow, what a concept…
Though I’d like to see all that money doing something more productive than funding oil companies CEO compensations… I say tax the hell out of the oil companies and anyone working in them… and put it toward paying down the deficit and paying for the war that is making them rich…
@kidgenius:
I dunno, I’d take 1% of $40 billion and not complain a bit if the government took the other 99%. Then again, I’m not a multi-billion dollar company that needs to pay R&D costs for… drilling.. err, I mean.. cleaning up… err I mean, polluting? Wait, wtf do they do that benefits anyone?
I can see a charge for oversized luggage or people who feel the need to bring 8 suitcases. However, being charged extra for the suitcase that each ticket holder takes is excessive.
I don’t have a problem with charges for oversized or excess luggage… but the FIRST CHECKED BAG??? the reason I check a bag is to make life easier for everyone I’m boarding with by not needing to find empty compartment space and hold up the line. goodbye american airlines.
@basket548:
I said no such thing. Please go back and read my post. I’ll thank you to not put words in my mouth.
@humphrmi:
But you also don’t want any fees…I don’t see how that’s different. What does your fare price include, then?
Does AA have self-check-in at the counter? If so, will I need to stand in another line to pay the $15 per bag? Self check-in is often timesaving and hassle-free but it won’t be if the baggage handlers have to collect the fee from all passengers checking bags. And if I check in at home via computer, will I then have to stand in line at the counter to pay for the baggage?
AA – just raise the cost of each ticket by $15 instead of adding to the hassle and labor at the counter.
@rellog:
I agree with you that more of oil companies’ revenue should go toward construction and R&D.
However, Exxon clearly is not speculating themselves, as they are selling the oil. Can’t sell something to yourself.
@capnpetch: I think that is an incredibly astute point…this might fall under usury laws…
@basket548: Don’t be so sure of that…worst things have been done in the commodities markets…
Am I the only one who cannot access Page 2 of the comments? It kicks me to a results page for posts with “Fees” tags
Meh, I haven’t flown AA in years, after they twice stranded me in DFW by delaying my inbound flight so that it arrives as the connecting flight is departing, then they say it’s not their fault I missed the flight, as the connection was technically still on the ground when my flight arrived.
Fucking bastards. Go out of business already!
Even though I am an elite member of AAdvantage, I hate this change. Why?
1) Family members who are not traveling on the same record locator as me will be charged for luggage checked.
2. More passengers will now attempt to carry-on their luggage, causing further departure delays, clogged overheads, heated exchanges with flight attendants on board flights where luggage must be checked at the gate (do they pay $15 or don’t they pay?)
3. Slower check-in process (even though I get to check-in at the First Class line) because more personnel will be needed as gate agents to process the extra $15 baggage fee; and
4. More passengers choosing other carriers instead of AA (as a result of this policy change) thereby causing AA to reduce domestic flight choices for loyal customers like me. This checked baggage policy announcement is wrong-headed. Why not just raise ALL FARES by $15 each way?
I can’t wait for the next policy announcement…..
@Crymson_77:
Haha, true. But certainly not legally. And if Exxon is running the tape on oil, I’m all for every kind of punishment to be thrown at them.