American Airlines Now Going To Charge First Checked Bag

Now even the first checked bag

Now First Checked Bag Charges

The carrier said it would shield AAdvantage program members who have achieved Gold level and higher, as well as passengers in business and first class and those traveling on international itineraries, except to Canada and U.S. territories.

Urgh.

Here's a link to the American Airline site with the detailed rules.

American Airlines new checked baggage guidelines

They have a list of "exceptions" and an FAQ section, which may be helpful.

This is going to hurt the wallet, and I don't imagine it's going to get better anytime soon!

This is going to hurt the wallet, and I don't imagine it's going to get better anytime soon!

True. Even if things change regarding fuel prices and the rest, I doubt the airlines will start loosening things up.

With all the rules and combinations of what is getting charged it will make things more confusing at the check-in counter.

I can hardly wait to see the abuse of the overhead bins that will begin soon- Im also looking forward to the slower checkin lines while this is explained in detail to the 90% of the travellers that this will take by surprise.

American Airlines is to start charging for all checked baggage on tickets purchased after June 15.

Story here...

I have enough FF miles on AA to get me and the missus first class to pretty much anywhere. Think I might do just that, and then show them the door. Living in the PNW, AA is less attractive as a travel provider now anyway.

AMR's shares dropped 13%+ on this news.

Oops. There's another thread on this in the destinations subforum. Mods, feel free to merge this thread with the other.

I can hardly wait to see the abuse of the overhead bins that will begin soon

There was a time when they allowed massive carry-on abuse because it lowered their cost of handling checked bags, but now that the checked bags are revenue producers you can pretty much bet carry-on regs will get more attention and tighter control.

To be honest, compared to what I paid domestically 20 or 25 years ago, airline seats today are really inexpensive. Myself, I don't have to much issue with the baggage charges. It's either pay more or have fewer airlines, flights and options. That's tightening up already.

In my view flying across the country for a few hundred buck, or now for a few hundred bucks and a couple baggage charges is a steal. And if I have an emergency or don't book early enough to get decent prices...well that's just the the way the ball bounces

The charges suck, but they're just a rate hike by another (semi-hidden) method. Wait til they start saying the ticket price is only good for an 'average weight' adult and charging $25 per 50 lbs above that. (I know, bite my tongue.)

The only good I can see coming out of this is less people flying so the planes have a bit more elbow room...that and/or if they did start policing the carryon rules, so I'm sure to get room for my camera bag (legal, barely) in the overhead.

I forsee a lot more Flower Garden dive trips in my future...no air travel required for me.

How they parse their price is irrelevant. All that matters is the overall cost of travel.

What is irritating is the deception that you have control over how much you pay when it's in pieces.

Sure, it's OK to go to 1 free + pay for the 2nd, but you already changed the rules to reduce size (62 linear inches) and weight (50lbs), thereby sliding people into a 2nd bag required category.

Sure, no one has to check their bag and pay the fee, but security rule changes has increased the number of items that can't be checked. It will now cost you $15 to check that 8oz bottle of sunscreen.

It is inevitable that people will be bloodied fighting for overhead space. When it becomes unmanageable, greater restrictions will surely be implemented and we will be on Euro standard of 7kgs.

Moves like this have become common on european airlines with the 'ticket' price often ending up only a small fraction of the final price that you pay. Lets face it air travel has been cheap for a long time and now like all forms of transport it is going to get a lot more expensive due to rising oil prices.

Cheers, Simon

The reality is that for average income folks travel to exotic locations will be constrained. If you took an exotic trip every two years it may now be every 3-4 years or more. It'll just be too financially tight to take a bigger "stick it to me D*%K up your ass." They are making it nearly impossible for people to afford luxury vacations. So the result will be fewer fliers, but the ones who will continue to travel are those who can afford it (higher income folks) and the extra doe isn't a big deal or an obstacle for them. They have the room for that bigger financial D&%K up their butt.

Economic factors simply are driving these actions and until we control our own oil destiny we are at the mercy of the very people like Exxon and Mobile who record skyrocketing profits and the Saudis who really don't have any interest in the U.S. except the ability to pay artificially inflated prices on speculation.

IN the meantime diving for me has all but haulted.

This is just getting absurd now. Of course now when Im out of town, instead of thinking about how much the trip is costing me, Im thinking about how much money im saving in gas from not driving for a week or two! hahah over 5 bucks a gallon for diesel in my parts!

Hey Mike,

Its not just American Airlines, they are all going to go that route. I have a shoot in Alaska towards the end of June and will be flying on Alaska Air. They are changing their bag policy on July 1st, so I will not be charged going but since I am returning on the 5th, they will charge me then.

I really think the airlines needs an intelligent PR person. I understand that, thanks to Bush and his cronies, that prices and expenses are going up. If the airlines simply raised their prices acccordingly, I believe people would accept that. Instead, they nickel and dime you with individual bag charges and lowering the weight folk are allowed. That leaves a bad taste in peoples mouths and no one wants to finish a ,hopefully, good vacation feeling like they just got their pockets picked. I just came back to San Diego last week from giving an editing seminar. At the airport in Palm Beach, Florida, a couple had to unpack and re-sort their bags simply because it weighed 54 pounds, 4 lbs over the limit. After re-sorting, with everyone, including me, behind them waiting, the check-in guy made them do it again because now they were 1 lb overweight and he wanted to charge them an extra $80. This was on Delta Airlines.

Some companies have no common sense or shame.

Steve B)

First of all, we are all benefiting from rock bottom airfares here in the US.

When folks stop choosing an airline because the ticket is $185 instead of $200 on the competitor, then most of this crap will stop.

If you don't like the bag charge, write the Airline CEO and tell them you will no longer fly their airline.

Then don't.

It may seem tough, but voting with your Dollars/Euros/Pesos/Bhat, or Rupees is the only way to win.

Personally, I'd like to see the airlines charge a fee by total weight of Passenger AND Bags.

Step on the scale, slide your credit card in the machine, show your ID and you are off!

Fair for everyone

...Personally, I'd like to see the airlines charge a fee by total weight of Passenger AND Bags...

Hi

They did this to us when we flew from Maillla to Coron in the Philippines in 2001, but that plane only took 12 passenger (the "hostess" got on, gave us the safety briefing and a sandwich, then got off) and then rear seats had been removed for the baggage (no hold)

Cheers

Hal

I'd actually like to pay more... if they could guarantee that my bags would actually make it there, on time and safe. Let me show up a day early. Search the bag all you want. Then let me lock it, let me pay for insurance on it, give me some hope of getting it safely past the TSA and the baggage handlers and to my destination.

And if you lose that bag, handing me back that $15 had better be the first thing that happens.

found this bloomberg article amusing... Time for me to go on a diet...

"After U.S. airlines reported combined first-quarter losses of $1.7 billion and crude oil jumped to a record $133.17 a barrel on May 21, almost double from a year earlier, fares based on a passenger's weight may be a logical step, said Robert Mann, head of R.W. Mann & Co., an aviation consultant based in Port Washington, New York.

``If you look at the air-freight business, that's the way they've always done it,'' he said. ``We're getting treated like air freight when we travel by airlines, anyway.'' "

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=206...&refer=home

I wonder if ticket 'options' in the future will include seats for the passenger and wings for the airplane.

'Sir, if you want to get on the plane with wings that will be $100 extra per wing' may be heard at airports in the not-to-distant future!

I'm waiting for bad turbulence to occur which causes the oxygen masks to drop.....then we can expect the stewardess' to stand up and say "and for another $20 we will be happy to activate the oxygen'

Steve B)

Looks like Delta is doubling their fee for checking a second bag now, as well as raising fees for third bags and oversized items.

Delta raising fees again