American’s plan to charge $15 for first bag
Posted on May 21st, 2008 – 10:44 AMBy Chris Welsch
American Airlines today announced moves to counter the high cost of fuel. Layoffs and a raft of new fees are at the top of the list. One of these moves goes against common sense and is counterproductive to safety: That is the $15 fee for a first checked bag.
Airlines are businesses, and they have to charge fees that allow them to be profitable; that’s capitalism at work. But charging $15 for a first checked bag is irresponsible, and as Ed Anger used to say, I’m pig-biting mad about it. Add $15 to the price of every ticket if it’s necessary to get into the black. But don’t create an optional charge for what is for many people (especially business travelers and families) a necessity. This charge is going to cause people to bring even more and bigger carry-ons, slowing down loading and unloading of the plane, creating a safety hazard and fraying already frayed nerves. It’s not justified, it’s not safe. This is a case where updated federal standards and a passenger bill of rights are clearly needed.
35 Responses to "American’s plan to charge $15 for first bag"
Hear, hear! I agree completely. Too many times do I see people stuffing oversize bags into overhead compartments or people in the front having to store in the back (because folks are “smart” enough to leave their stuff in the front so they are guaranteed space).
I feel like taking an airplane trip is headed towards a Lord of Flies environment where common courtesy is discarded and “every man for himself” reigns!
Beyond stupid in the money raising ideas dept at American. Only an idiot cannot see the chaos and air rage wars that this will lead to.
I really wonder what would happen if the airlines just charged enough for their tickets to make a profit and cut out all this “fee” nonsense?
How high would that price be, and what would the reaction be from the traveling public?
What a ridiculous fee! I will not fly American Airlines if possible. It is not the extra $15 that is the problem. I agree with the others, it is just going to add to the increasing list of headaches passengers already deal with when flying.
I agree with Dave G. I know air travel is price sensitive; most of us travel on the cheapest flight (or the cheapest “reasonable” flight if we want to limit plane changes or travel during certain hours). At the same time, we hate what flying has become.
I keep hearing about how high air travel cost before the airlines were deregulated, but I was too young then to know how then compares to now. I just remember that traveling was a lot more fun. I assume people just flew less then. What would happen if prices went up and demand went down again? Could airlines make it? Perhaps the trouble are the low-cost competitors who wouldn’t raise their prices and who were not present then, but I’d love to enjoy travel again, even if it meant traveling less often. There has to be a happy medium between cheap, awful flights and forking over a king’s ransom for first class!
I agree with the above cut out this fee stuff (insert your 4 letter word here) and implement with what is causing the industry havic, fuel surcharge.
Draw a line in the sand say 85 buck and charge a buck for each dollar that the going rate for oil is against this line. Seems very simple to me and people will understand this charge.
Very simple but yet not implemented to the degree it should be.
Econ 102 in my books.
First it was increased fares, then it was $25 for the second checked baggage. Now it’s $15 for the first bag also. All this, on top of sky-rocketing airfares and crappy schedules. Almost all flights include multiple stops, long layovers and overnighting at exorbitant prices.
I say we start to drive more and fly less and see what happens.
This will be a nightmare for working parents with kids…the government needs to step in right now!!!
With new policies like this and the potential for only three major domestic air carriers through mergers (resulting in higher prices through reduced competition) it’s only a matter of time before the government re-regulates the airlines.
It made me want to leave this country altogether just so I don’t have to deal with ANY U.S. airlines.
What an absolutely BRILLIANT move by American! And no, I’m not being facetious.
Contrary to all the contrary cranks here- in one fell swoop, American has eliminated the most difficult and time consuming sector of the public- those responsible for all the delays and bad experiences.
Boy, I’ll cheerfully pay $30 “extra” - to fly on an airlines free of whiners.
There marketing department really blew it on this one. Building the additional price increase into tickets would have made the move more transparent. Instead, they draw negative attention to their business.
Wow I used to get on planes last just to see who getting on but now look like I will be WWF my way through gates even running over old people to make sure my bag gets on top. They bad thing is, I am an American airline frequent flyer along with Continental!!
Paul, how do you take a vanity case with you without checking it in? Point is many travelers have no choice but to check in one bag. And here’s the problem with the surcharge. It slows the checking in process down because if you are checking a bag in, you will have to pay for it separately. That’s one more thing you have to do when you’re being checked in. Multiply that by 100 people in line ahead of you adds up to you had better get to the airport 45 minutes earlier than you used to.
Being a frequent traveler (not with American, thankfully), the problem I see with this is that more people will be bringing carry-ons. What happens when the bag doesn’t fit in the overhead compartment or under your seat? Typically the airlines take it from you to check under the plane. Will they then have to charge your credit card or take cash from you on the spot? Seems like this hasn’t been thought out. What a nightmare.
What a terrible idea. I can’t stand the volume of carry on luggage today, but I can promise that I’m going to be dragging my 22″ suitcase and a personal item every time out on American. It’s only a matter of time until every ski trip costs $50-$100 more to check skis.
it is pretty ironic that the same folks that state the airlines should just add the fee into the ticket are the same ones complaining that fares are increasing (and would book a trip because it is $10 cheaper).
How can you not drive by a gas station and understand why prices continue to rise for the airlines?
People have gotten into the habit of traveling too much, whether by air or road. Business can often be conducted by telephone, video conference, or VoIP. There are wonderful vacation destinations close by. I suggest sitting this out and waiting for the shakeout to leave us with (hopefully) better airlines!
This has to be a joke. I feel as if I’m being punked by Ashton K. We can barley afford to put gas in our cars these days. All I can say is stop flying and start driving.
All to be blamed on gas prices? I don’t think so. I understand it’s more the costly expense of paying for pilot retirement. To a degree the cost of most everything has risen,how ever the airlines have played the oh poor me card long enough not caring how the customer feels or likes it. They seem to be in the growing number of companies that have the “do what what you want, they as customers have no other choice attitude! Charge for bags? How about not loosing them? Stow bags in the cabin…charge extra for that. If you’re in that much of a hurry don’t book your connections so tight, allow for weather and mechanical issues. Stop booking a plane like a taxi cab. No meals, no bags,no customer service! And to think…there’s actually a blue print out there suggesting we should stand up. Barely reclining as to allow for more passengers on a plane. I ask…where does it stop.
Like we need more people to bring more things in their carry on luggage. There are already so many inconsiderate people that bring on large bags and hold up everyone else- this will just add to it. I will definitely avoid American Airlines whenever possible. I understand that they have to make up for all their losses with the gas/oil but why continue to go after consumers? They are the ones keeping them in business and will soon lose them too.
What is wrong with a la carte pricing? This is a fantastic idea and will save money for travelers who have no need to check luggage. Too often are all consumers forced to pay the same amount for different levels of service. People that do not require the extra space and added cost of checking large bags should not pay the extra fees. I haven’t checked a bag in years since I pack appropriately. Do the same and pack less.
Airlines already have size restrictions, so there won’t be an issue of people bringing larger bags on the plane. I wonder how it will work when the flight attendants take your bag and have it taken below. Will they charge you a fee after the fact?
I have planned a golf trip using NWA this fall and I found out my golf bag will cost $75 round trip! Fees like this hurt the vacation traveler the most and the consistancy in checked luggage is non existant. If I brought a stroller there is no charge, but they take up more room than a golf bag! I know traveling with kids is far from a fun experience and maybe that is a small way NWA gives back to its customers.
“What is wrong with a la carte pricing? This is a fantastic idea and will save money for travelers who have no need to check luggage.”
Wow. So very wrong, Kevin. You won’t save any money if you don’t check luggage, because it’s not as though American is offering a discount for this. That would be the better approach, right? Bake in $30 into every ticket price, and then give an automatic rebate after the flight takes off and you haven’t checked in any luggage.
Even better, your luggage gets more restricted based on the duration (and possibly the timing) of your trip. Taking a long weekend? Fine, you should pay an extra $15 if you can’t pack everything into a carry-on. A four-day trip, Monday - Thursday, and you might need to check in your business suits and shirts and ties. Anything approaching a week, and it’s darn near impossible to travel without needing at least one suitcase.
There are lots of ways to provide incentive for bringing less luggage on board an airplane, but the way American has done it ridiculous, short-sighted, and insulting.
A $15 surcharge for first bag would not be unacceptable, if it also came with an insurance policy containing conditions on bag content and condition upon arrival. Also included bag would need to arrive on same flight with the passenger (owner).
I know this may be a touchy question, but I ask it in all sincerity: What do people think about charging for a plane ticket by total weight: body weight + luggage weight? After all, the amount of fuel needed is directly proportional to the weight on board. Therefore it is actually more expensive to transport heavier people or people with really heavier luggage. I know there would be logistical issues (e.g. A mass weigh-in at the gate could take a lot of time.), but what do people think about it in principle?
At first glance it may seem like discrimination against heavier people. But it could also be seen as unfair that lighter people or people with minimal luggage are constantly subsidizing the travel of heavier people or people traveling with overweight luggage.
Any thoughts?
Wouldn’t you be able to just bring your oversized “carry on” to the gate and have it checked there for free? Opps!
It’s the marketing department, once again trying to come up with ways to make their own prices look better, then dinging you to death with the fees. They advertise one price that is all but impossible to actually take advantage of because they’ll hit you up with a fee. And it is happening everywhere in most every “service” industry. I even called ahead to a recycling place to get rid of a couch and they told me (on the phone) the cost would be $10. After I dropped it off, they told me the cost was $15 - $10 for the couch and $5 in administrative fees. By the way, if you are reading this message, you owe me a $2 reading fee - I may as well get on the bandwagon along with the rest of the places that lie about what they’re really going to charge.
The budget airlines in Europe are doing this, but the pain is dulled by the cheaper ticket prices - I’ve done London-Oslo and Liverpool-Amsterdam for about $60 RT each. It can cost upwards of £20 to check a bag now!
I just wish that the airlines would enforce the carry-on bag size limit. Just returned from a trip to London, and on my Chicago-London leg, the plane wasn’t even half full, yet the overhead bins were completely full.
I don’t get it. Check out Ryan Air’s web site today (www.ryanair.com). You can fly for free. Sure, there are charges for bags and food and the Europe airline industry is heavily subsidized, but how the heck do they do it for free??? And it’s not just Ryan Air that has super low cost flights.
I’ve flown Ryan Air a few times when traveling in Europe. It’s not first class, but gets you were you want to go - fast. They don’t seem to have the massive infrastructure that the U.S. has built. (Well, in Germany they actually use some former U.S. air bases such as Hahn, so maybe they do.)
Anyway, I still don’t get it. Maybe someone can shed some light?
Airlines to announce soon that a $25 per lavatory use coming soon. Authorities also indicated that the airlines are researching other per fee opportunities (lights, fan, seatbelts, trays, and seat cushions).
I already have tickets on AA for an August trip. I purchased these tickets in advance of the policy change. Sounds like a class action suit for breach of contract to me…
I just flew on USAir and they had a note posted that if you bought your ticket before the 2nd bag charge was instituted then you were not going to be charged to check it, hopefully American will have the same policy for the first bag.
It does stink also when you have containers of toiletries you need that are larger than 3oz or won’t all fit in a quart sized bag. You can’t decant everything. So, I guess because I have skin problems that require multiple skin ointments, lotions, and medications that are both OTC and prescription- I would have to pay an extra $15 because I would need to check my bag??? Nice! I would be happy if I didn’t have these ailments to deal with- and I could do carry on like everyone else and fight to get a spot over head and be rude and tacky (I guess that is one benefit to having to check a bag is not having to worry about that premium real estate over head)
We are just one step away from fees associated with passenger weight. I can see it now. “Step on the scale!” “You weight 190 pounds and your luggage is 40 pounds, that’s a $25 surcharge.”
No problem for me, I’ll just wear all the clothes I would normally pack in my checked baggage onto the plane!
As an airline captain why should I make less then when I drove school bus in college? Also you need to remember flying is a not a right of the US traveler I’m sick and tired of the greyhound attitude the common public has on air travel. If you people actually stopped flying we would not be operating at 96 percent full. It has gotten to the point where I need to buy tickets to travel even though it should be free.
Kerri Westenberg has globe-trotted for National Geographic and other magazines. Now she zips around the region, on the lookout for travel news you can use.
Chris Welsch has traveled to more than 40 countries on six continents; he is as enamored of the Great Plains as he is of the Great Barrier Reef.
Elizabeth Larsen lived in Salzburg, Austria, and has traveled throughout Europe and the Americas. She can say "diaper," "bottle" and "crib" in four languages.
Troy Melhus has heli-skied on glaciers, dived alongside Monk seals and raced for 24 hours on a mountain bike. All this, and he rarely spends more than $500 on a trip.