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Location: Alerts for 5/27/08
Discussion: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
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 jimglab |
What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 23 2008, 1:18 PM EDT American Airlines announced it will start charging $15 for an economy class passenger’s first checked bag in mid-June, unless he’s an AAdvantage elite member (see this week’s story). American already charges $25 for a second checked bag. How do you think passengers will react to this new fee? Will they try to carry everything onboard, jamming the overhead bins? Will they sigh and pay up? Or will they look for an airline that doesn’t charge a fee? How will you react? Post your comments here. 2 out of 2 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 26 2008, 11:06 PM EDT I tend to avoid American anyway, never had an experience with them I would call reasonable. This is just one more reason not to fly with them. My company is very strict on travel and baggage fee's are the responsibility of the employee. I travel almost every week in the US and other parts of the world, if I used American this would be an issue. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
 charlie_uk |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 11:44 AM EDT There us a danger that this could be followed in the industry. With prices unlikely to come down any time soon, airlines will look to pass on these excessive costs anyway possible. I try to travel as light as possible these days, but sometimes it just isn't possible, which is where I will be stung. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
 Steve@Tropomedia |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 12:45 PM EDT I noticed none of the airlines immediately followed suit. Is this an issue that may be a consumer "tipping point"... when flyers say "enough is enough" and start heading for competitive airlines? Personally, besides the fee, I can only imagine the added chaos (and time) as people fight for overhead space. Do you find this valuable? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 12:45 PM EDT This is absolutely rediculous. I will definitely search for other airlines and avoid American at all cost. I suspect that we are in for a deluge of other charges and that most major airlines will follow suite. Air travel will return to the days of teh 50's and 60's when only business and the rich could travel. Maybe it's time for the trains to meet European standards! Do you find this valuable? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 12:51 PM EDT As long as the other airlines don't follow along, I guess I will avoid flying American until they are clueless about what an inconvience this is to passengers. With all the changes in carry-on vs. checked items since 9/11 (i.e. liquids, etc.), the work-around was to check your bag. Now, American is penalizing passengers. I can maybe understand a fee on the 2nd bag, but as a paying customer, I at least expect to check 1 bag without having to pay more. Do you find this valuable? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 12:54 PM EDT Like most of us here, I've got elite status with AA... so I won't be impacted by the fee. But the big however is this: boarding and deplaning will become even more disorderly... with the potential for jumbled boarding, crowded aisles and delayed flights. Do you find this valuable? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 12:58 PM EDT I saw a cartoon this weekend that showed a guy at security and guard saying "There will be a charge to get your belt and shoes back." The free market will work and people will avoid American if possible and use just carry-on. Do you find this valuable? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 1:06 PM EDT "American Airlines announced it will start charging $15 for an economy class passenger’s first checked bag in mid-June, unless he’s an AAdvantage elite member (see this week’s story). American already charges $25 for a second checked bag. How do you think passengers will react to this new fee? Will they try to carry everything onboard, jamming the overhead bins? Will they sigh and pay up? Or will they look for an airline that doesn’t charge a fee? How will you react? Post your comments here."I will not fly american while this nonsense continues, because even though I usually have no or 1 checked bag-the problem between the overhead bin space and the tsa security scanning speed means i'll find alternatives. Do you find this valuable? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 1:17 PM EDT If AA were to raise there airfares by $40 which is the combined price of 2 checked bags I don't think many people would notice or have an issue. However, charging for each checked bag is viewed as "nickel and dimeing" customers. Airlines have expenses like any other business. With increased fuel costs they must charge more. Instead of creative charging for things like baggage which promotes a negative perception just charge more for the ticket. P.S. If airlines want to save money why don't they 1) stop serving free soft drinks on flights of 30 min or less and/or 2) Charge for soft drinks. Where can you go today where you get free soft drinks other than the airlines. Do you find this valuable? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 1:22 PM EDT It's a sad state of affairs that the Airlines are moving to this model of charging patrons for previously 'free' or 'included' services. It says mor eto me about the back office of the company and the upper management ethics and priorities. In cases like this it's not just the $15, it's more about what's to come if we as customers condone these types of actions. Remember we hold all of the power - the money! Stop giving it to them and they will either change their ways or ultimately go out of business. Survival of the fittest, or in this case the most fit to the cunsumer's needs. I for one will go out of my way to not reward or reinforce this behavior. Do you find this valuable? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 1:25 PM EDT Have fun getting the door closed and pushed back on time if you fly American. Will they be on the ready in the jetway with a credit card machine to process payment for all the bags that get carried on and won’t fit in the overhead or under the seats? I am glad I use American 0% of the time. Do you find this valuable? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 1:47 PM EDT Boycott American until they reach their senses. They MUST be upfront on airfares and all the fees. They are simply looking for more revenue and don't have the guts to just raise fares. It is lunacy to fly people below cost, then try to recoup enough to make a profit with these stupid add-on fees. They must think we are totally gullible. Their problem is they won't control their costs and charge fares that reflect the realistic costs. Tell American, and every other US airline, to be candid about what it costs to fly a person, with baggage, from point A to point B. Stop catering to the once a year traveller, and be fair to the regular traveller - the business traveller who keeps them in business with many trips per year. The airline business and the telepone business are the only ones I know of that charge their best customers the highest price! In virtually every other business, the best customer gets a break. Not here! 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 2:00 PM EDT If this a way to recope fuel cost (which is BS to start with), this is the wrong way to go about it. The amount of carry on will increase and carry on baggage right now is far too much for some people I see flying. I will not be flying America at all with these policies in place or any other airline. I predict that foreign airlines will start to take over domestic routes due to demand, they have lower labor costs to start. Which brings me to my next point, this seems like a move to break th unions within the airlines. I'm so very tired of the American airline industry using 9/11 as an excuse for anything they could not get done prior to that incident. 1 out of 1 found this valuable. Do you? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 2:28 PM EDT "American Airlines announced it will start charging $15 for an economy class passenger’s first checked bag in mid-June, unless he’s an AAdvantage elite member (see this week’s story). American already charges $25 for a second checked bag. How do you think passengers will react to this new fee? Will they try to carry everything onboard, jamming the overhead bins? Will they sigh and pay up? Or will they look for an airline that doesn’t charge a fee? How will you react? Post your comments here."Carry-one bags have already gotten out of hand. This will only increase the delayed boarding. If UA follows this pattern I will look for an alternate airline if they don't honor Premier Exec travelers Do you find this valuable? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 3:47 PM EDT "American Airlines announced it will start charging $15 for an economy class passenger’s first checked bag in mid-June, unless he’s an AAdvantage elite member (see this week’s story). American already charges $25 for a second checked bag. How do you think passengers will react to this new fee? Will they try to carry everything onboard, jamming the overhead bins? Will they sigh and pay up? Or will they look for an airline that doesn’t charge a fee? How will you react? Post your comments here."I think I will not use American Airlines anymore. The insides of the plane are not big enough to carry on bags for every flight. I thought I was helping by checking in my bag anf now they are going to charge me. I will start looking for a airline that still has 1 bag free to check in. Do you find this valuable? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 4:24 PM EDT As soon as I read this in AAirmail I shot them a note. This is only going to hurt their most frequent travelers. I believe that the casual traveler will now avoid checking bags and opt for carry-on. Just what we need, more carry-on. AA will see increased loading times as more people try to jockey bags to fit everything in the overheads. And what happens when the overhead is full? When the last passengers board and there is no room in the overhead? Will they have to pay to gate check? Is AA going to penalize flyers based on boarding order? If they don't charge for gate check it won't take very long for people to figure out this way around the baggage fee. I think they will loose more Elite customers (many of whom pay more per ticket) then the revenue they make in checked bags. Do you find this valuable? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 4:37 PM EDT I have never cared much for American and whenver possible would avoid flying with them. Now I know I will NEVER fly with them again. I will continue gaining elite status with other airlines. My company has over 3000 consultants and I would imagine rather soon most, if not all will discontiue flying with American. And I will certainly influence those that are my direct reports. Do you find this valuable? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 27 2008, 6:05 PM EDT "American Airlines announced it will start charging $15 for an economy class passenger’s first checked bag in mid-June, unless he’s an AAdvantage elite member (see this week’s story). American already charges $25 for a second checked bag. How do you think passengers will react to this new fee? Will they try to carry everything onboard, jamming the overhead bins? Will they sigh and pay up? Or will they look for an airline that doesn’t charge a fee? How will you react? Post your comments here."This will make a congested boarding process even worse. Many people already carry larger bags onto the plane. Many people can not lift their bags now to place into the overhead bins. This will get worse. Boarding will slow down, more gate checked bags will be involved, and the entire process will be worse. This will affect the on time departure and de-planning process. Tight connections will be even tighter with more missed flights. I believe they should still allow at least one free bag. I travel almost every week and this will have a significant impact. Do you find this valuable? |
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Anonymous |
RE: What do you think of American's $15 fee for checking one bag?
May 28 2008, 3:00 AM EDT I think it's one charge too many. I fear the number of bags that will be carried on and 'stuffed' into the overhead bins. This is not a good move for American or any others who follow. Do you find this valuable? |