American - $15 Charge for FIRST Bag

[loveJake]

Thank goodness we only fly SouthWest. Just got our tickets for September to MCO and base price was only $5 more each way then we normally pay, now $64 usually $59. No fuel surcharge and no extra bucks for extra bags as yet. Never had trouble getting seats together when we fly with our 3 grandkids either so don't blast me with that comment.

[Toto2Kansas]

Toto, I wonder what affect these new restrictions will have on formal night on cruises, what with having to pack additional clothes. We did formal nights on our first cruise, but decided it wasn't worth our time after that to pack an extra suitcase, and now I have an even better excuse.

 

Mike

 

My guess? Some will still think paying the extra for checked bags are worth attending formal nights onboard. But I think there will be just as many that will say 'to heck with it' and the buffet is going to start becoming very very crowded soon. ;)

[Colo Cruiser]

Let me just vent by saying I will not fly American Airlines unless it is my last possible option. If people are just willing to give in to them then the corporations will never worry about charging extras in the future. What a fall from the greatest to just another place in the world. Who is worring about the consumer?

 

 

I've been saying the same thing about United for ever. :rolleyes:

[veryhotred]

I too, think this is utterly DISGUSTING!!! They charge enough to fly on their darn planes and now we have to pay to eat AND carry our clothes with us when we fly around the country???!!!!! GET REAL AA!!!!! What is next? Pay to have a seatbelt?? Pay to use the bathroom? Pay for each square of toilet tissue we use? I swear there are people in a little room conspiring on what they can charge us for next. This is just ridiculous. I just bet other airlines will follow too.

[ElvisandTracey]

Get a grip people! Traveling is expensive, I can't remember a time when it wasn't. If your travel budget is so tight that a few extra charges here and there are going to make a difference, then you should probably go camping. :rolleyes:

 

I don't like to spend any more money then I have to, but we need to take a deep breath and relax. ;)

 

In reality it's cheaper to fly cross country now than it was several years ago. When my daughter was attending Boston University the average cost of airfare to get her home was around $400...I think the most I paid was $550 from Boston to Vegas, and that was 10 years ago.

 

Last month I flew to San Juan, PR for $400!!:eek:

 

You are missing the point, I think. It isn't the $15.00, it's the absurdity that an airline expects people to travel with no bags. When you travel, you need clothing, that's a fact, so charging extra for something that is necessary is just silly.

 

It isn't the money. On my Southwest flights last month I had to pay $50.00 in overweight bag fees. I knew it was my fault, I like to overpack, and am willing to pay for that. But come on, everyone needs ONE bag, you shouldn't charge for the first one. Unless you are flying to a nudist resort, then I guess bags are not needed.:eek:

 

Oh, and I don't know about the rest of you, but Tracey don't camp!! Sleeping on the floor, outhouses, bugs, think not!!:p

[PH8]

We have vouchers that were issued in Feb........have till next Feb to use them.........(got the vouchers because we cancelled our original flights)......anyway, I wonder if we are exempt because we paid for them long ago or will we have to pay because we havent even decided on a flight yet........

 

(its taking forever to choose where to fly to cuz there are not that many direct AA flights from MCO)..:mad:

[NeurosurgeryNP]

That is why I dn't fly AA. I try to fly JetBlue whenever possible. However - they are starting too - not with extra luggage charge - but I booked our return flights for our NYC-San Juan cruise, if we wanted the first 6 rows of the plane, or the exit rows (all with more legroom) the charge was $20 extra. We did book these, as we had a voucher for $30 from our last trip when one piece of our luggage was delayed by an hour and put on the next flight, which became an non-issue for us. I can't complain - we are only paying $105 for each person for our return flight to NY from San Juan.

[Colo Cruiser]

That is why I dn't fly AA. I try to fly JetBlue whenever possible. However - they are starting too - not with extra luggage charge - but I booked our return flights for our NYC-San Juan cruise, if we wanted the first 6 rows of the plane, or the exit rows (all with more legroom) the charge was $20 extra. We did book these, as we had a voucher for $30 from our last trip when one piece of our luggage was delayed by an hour and put on the next flight, which became an non-issue for us. I can't complain - we are only paying $105 for each person for our return flight to NY from San Juan.

 

 

They are pretty proud of their fares too.

 

Just looked today at the red eye fares to NY. About $175 more then our local airline Frontier. :eek:

[FlyerTalker]

If you are a frequent flyer with AA and have status in their program, these fees do not apply.

All of which means, if you travel at least 25K miles a year, concentrate your flying on one airline/alliance and get at least some minimal status if possible.

 

Another alternative....utilize credit cards to gain airline status. Some airlines, such as DL, allow you to earn status miles though credit card usage. Crunch the numbers on your "luggage surcharges" and it might be worth it to use various stategies to get status to avoid them in the future.

[Ocean Boy]

This really is more than a bit annoying. How many people can really travel with no luggage to check at all? So pretty much they are adding a minimum of $30.00 to each round trip ticket and that is if you check only one piece.

 

As it is when we came home from San Juan this year (on American) it looked like they were actually going to get the flight off a few minutes early. However, there were so many people trying to cram stuff, that was obviously too large, into overhead bins that it ended up delaying the flight past its departure time. With this new policy I can only imagine the situation being much worse.

 

I have heard talk that Southwest was looking into expanding into Puerto Rico. I am not sure if that is going anywhere but I sure hope it happens. I'd love to kiss A.A. goodbye.

[kicker]

I too, think this is utterly DISGUSTING!!! They charge enough to fly on their darn planes and now we have to pay to eat AND carry our clothes with us when we fly around the country???!!!!! GET REAL AA!!!!! What is next? Pay to have a seatbelt?? Pay to use the bathroom? Pay for each square of toilet tissue we use? I swear there are people in a little room conspiring on what they can charge us for next. This is just ridiculous. I just bet other airlines will follow too.

 

 

Please! Don't give them any more ideas! - LOL!

[rsldonk]

With all the airline news, I really can't wait until current management of all the major US-based airlines force all the airlines into bankruptcy and then get bought out by foreign companies that know how to run an airline, make money and give great service. I have had fewer total problems all on my combined flights on foreign carriers than I get on just a single flight on any of the big US carriers. It's just frankly sad.

[lovemylab]

I will just add this to the list of reasons why I will never fly with American Airlines. I made the mistake of flying with them once - never again.

[Jimsgirl]

I ALWAYS try to pack with carry-on only. Lost luggage, long check-in lines, and the baggage-carousel-of-endless-gloom were reason enough for me. The $15 charge just adds insult to injury.

 

It's tough, but I've even done a 10-night Med cruise (plus overnight in Athens!) with carry-on only. 7 nights is usually my max, but I had a tight connection.

 

If you're game to try, I'd recommend my favorite packing list, and tips for carry-on packing.

 

It's from *****.com's guide to cruises.

 

Sorry fessler, but Ijust flat out do not believe you. of course you could be one of those travellers who ignore the size rule and take up an entire overhead bin with their oversizedMAXI stuffed carryon- and your cruise was totally no dress code, wear one pair of jeans and one top day and night for the whole cruise.

 

Since I take longer cruises on Cunard I do need to pack and check luggage.It is not the cost of $40 r/t that raises my anger, it is the total lack of service. I was supposed to fly AA in Oct ,the schedule was changed and changed, and as an added insult, although the "legs" were over three hours each there was a message that if I wished to eat on the plane I would have to BUY the food.

 

So lets see, pay fare, wait in long line at check in for a bored clerk to actually check my name, pay cost of checked luggage, wait in long line again at gate,sit cramped for over three hours, buy a stale sandwich, use a totally disgusting unclean toilet, change planes, go through whole process again on second plane, which may or may not leave on time -in March there was a delay "due to maintenance" so plane left 4 hours late. etc etc.

 

What a way to generate customer loyalty.

[Aplmac]

With all the airline news,

I really can't wait until current management of all the major US-based airlines force all the airlines into bankruptcy

and then get bought out by foreign companies that know how to run an airline, make money and give great service.

I have had fewer total problems all on my combined flights on foreign carriers

than I get on just a single flight on any of the big US carriers.

It's just frankly sad.

That says a lot -right there, in a nutshell!!

[FlyingPhotog]

Every airline I've ever flown has maximum size restrictions, over and above the weight limit. If I remember my last SouthWest flight correctly, the circumference of a checked piece of luggage cannot exceed 62". Just one more thing to keep in mind when you buy new luggage.

 

2P.P1

 

At Southwest, length + width + height should be 62 inches or less. Carry-on size should be 10 x 16 x 24 inches or less. And they still allow you to check 2 bags, for free.

[caribill]

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?)

 

 

And it will slow curbside checkin. Porters at curbside with airlines that charge for checking luggage there have found that passengers do not pay the luggage charge and then tip.

[Casshew]

I notice on Air Canada if you take NO checked in luggage - they will give you a $3.00 fare reduction on your ticket price. Three whole Dollars! lol

[truffles2]

A recent American flight that we were on was charging $3.00 for a snack sized bag of chips:mad:.

[thegotogirl]

These new surcharges will also increase the time it takes to get through security as more folks will bring carry on luggage and it will take longer to screen. Also, let's think of the larger picture....the baggage handlers who are currently employed who will now be laid off as fewer people check luggage, and they will then be unemployed...and who do you think will eventually help to shoulder that? Let's not get into a political discussion here....but it certainly makes you stop and say.....Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.:mad:

[Giulia]

The airlines need more money to continue safe operation - it isn't like they are making lots of money and I'm sure they don't want to have to do things they know will upset their customers. I don't know how they continue to operate with year after year of tremendous losses. we will lose more airlines through this economic downturn unless they are afforded a way to improve the bottom line - and we certainly don't want them skimping on safety. That being said, this particular charge doesn't affect us at all- we do a land trip to Europe every year or so for about 13-15 days and do it with a 21" piece of luggage each and a tote bag. After having lost and delayed luggage in the past, we haven't checked anything in years. We are in usually in a cab and halfway to our destination and most people are still waiting (while giving us dirty looks for carrying on "legal" size luggage) for their oversized bags that have to be lugged around. SIMPLIFY, SIMPLIFY! On vacation I can pretty much guarantee that very few people will notice if you are wearing the same thing more than once. Common sense, appropriate travel clothing and good packing techniques make traveling so much more enjoyable.

[Unca Pete]

Cheer up! It only can get worse! I predict they will be charging passengers according to their weight next. Eat too much at the buffet, and your return flight ends up costing more :o

[NeurosurgeryNP]

They are pretty proud of their fares too.

 

Just looked today at the red eye fares to NY. About $175 more then our local airline Frontier. :eek:

Being in NY, their main city, yes, the fares would be good for us. And that is why Frontier is your local airline with good fares for you.

[bluefintuna]

Just saw there will be a charge to use the bathroom onboard (just kidding....today). Checked a flight we were looking at and it has gone up $30 in two days. Better start building a stagecoach for the family; got to get to Fll in Dec. somehow, someway.

[ctr5000]

the thing that really bugs me, is if after all of this, the price of oil would drop $100, do you think they would drop the extra charge? Oh nooooooooooo. They'd just let their profits rise. Once they find you are willing to pay, they will never drop the charge. What a pain.:(