Of all the fee increases that airlines have imposed during the past couple months — like United's fee increase to change your ticket, most domestic airlines charging extra to check a second bag, US Airways requiring extra payment if you want an aisle or window seat, and all of the smaller details that can add up — this most recent announcement gets me more red in the face than the others. For someone who usually keeps her cool, that's saying a lot! To find out the details on the travel news that has me all fired up just read more
On May 5 most domestic airlines instituted their new fee policies for checking a second bag, and American Airlines announced another new policy just yesterday. If you plan on packing more than a carry-on and are flying AA, plan on paying $15 for your first checked bag as of June 15. It will also raise fees for services like reservation help and bags. The only exemptions to the first-bag fee will be those passengers belonging to elite levels of its frequent flyer program, full-fare tickets purchasers, and overseas travelers. As with most airline fee hikes, others will likely follow the example of AA and United has already indicated they're considering making this move. What's next? Charging for using the in-flight bathroom?
Drykorn
Pedro Garcia
Calvin Klein
$15 for bringing a bag?
Ridiculous. Yet another reason I'd rather just drive.
1what???? as if people don't have enough carry on already! yeesh!
2What's next? We'll have to pay to use the toilets too!
3Well I'm going to a wedding in June and I think I am just going to WEAR all my clothes onto the plane and stuff my evening gown in my PURSE. Sheesh!
4this is so stupid.
5insane!
6Way to make flying even more stressful and annoying....perhaps instead of spending money on adding perks like internet/phone access or whatever I read about in the news that AA is trying to do, they don't do things like this that alienate people and make travelling even more cumbersome.
What technically is a full-fare ticket holder? If I purchase my tickets direct from them, am I? But if I use orbitz am I not? What's the point using the discount when you have to pay extra?
Sounds like it's going to be cheaper to just Fedex or ship my suitcase in advance to my destination...haha..
7Well, if they are doing that, I better not wait for an hour in front of the carousel for my suitcase once i get off the plane... AA is bad about luggage and the worst is they make people wait without telling them what's going on or how long it might take... no customer service...
8Guess I won't be flying AA. Unbelievable.
9True tiff, I won't fly U.S. Airways for their stupid aisle seat charge and I won't fly AA for this. Let's keep them coming airlines!
10I'm wondering, with all these ridiculous fees, when it's going to just become cheaper and more efficient to use one of those jet-sharing services, especially for families.
Benefits of private jet:
* No security checkpoint: arrive and walk on the plane
* Your luggage is up to you, bring as much on with you as you want
* Exquisite service in the air
It's a luxury right now, for sure, but I'm really hoping that it gets to the point that we can blow off the public carriers and just all share private jets.
I hate those damn security checkpoints so much, and I hate waiting around for my checked bags
for 20-40 minutes *after* I walk from the gate to the baggage claim.
11tsu what an interesting point! That does sound really nice!
12This thing has me worked up, first of all: Can AA guarantee that if everyone flying on a particular flight only brings the "average" carryon size luggage that they have enough room in the overhead bins? Yeah right...also WHAT THE HELL its not like they don't have the space for the bags, what are they charging US $15 so they can rent out the luggage space to Fedex or other parcel services to transport packages? I get it the economy sucks and you are suffering...you already raised your rates, stop nickel and diming me.
13This is really getting out of hand. Treatment like this is supposed to inspire me to join their frequent flyer program? HAH.
14Then lets protest people! Im bringing an onion smelling hamburger on my next flight to annoy everyone...any other suggestions?
15
onion hamburgers, nice. Personally I won't buy tickets from them anymore, I think that's a
pretty good protest.
16Pretty soon you'll have to pay to make use of the life vest in case the plane should go down.
17Full-fare tickets are tickets that are not discounted in any way, shape or form. Usually, you find them in coach for about $800 for cross country. So if you're willing to pay the extra $400 to not have to pay $15 for a bag, by all means.
18I'll just keep using priceline. I usually don't care what time my flight takes off and who the carrier is, as long as I can get the best price. I'm really like airtran and jetblue's prices, but not so much their customer service. And the fact that I tend to fly into Norfolk a lot, and neither of them goes there... I have to head into Richmond instead.
I'll just keep on not using AA. Continental has always been cheaper for me anyway.
19I've taught myself to travel light in domestic. Now for the international flights, this completely sucks for me. I fly all the time. What exactly are they gaining from charging for luggage? They are losing money and pretty soon, everyone is just going to get in their gas guzzlers and travel around. Burn less fuel then a 747.
!
20Wow! Won't fly AA ever again!
21I'm a Continental girl. Always have been. But if they too started charging for luggage, I will boycott them too.
22I fly AA frequently because they have direct flights to places I want to go and it's very convenient for me when I fly cross-country. (I've had one notable luggage mishap with another airline in which I had to transfer twice and my luggage got delayed.) This policy they instituted of charging for checked-in luggage really goads me! I understand that the price of fuel continues to soar and so charging for a second bag is understandable, but for your first bag too?! Ridiculous! Thankfully I booked today's flight way back when and won't have to pay the $15, but I'm definitely going to look into flying other airlines in the future. That ticks me off though that other airlines are now charging for aisle or window seats. I always like to sit next to the aisle so it's easier to get out of your seat.
I wonder if AA would blacklist me if I sent them repeat complaints about this policy.
23Totally infuriating. I'm an AA frequent flier, but now I want to avoid this airline. It's so tacky. Just raise the price of a ticket $5 or so; that will help pay for the fuel costs without making consumers feel like they are constantly being nickel-and-dimed.
24This sucks! I'm flying to Miami from overseas and then I bought a second ticket to get to Chicago, so they're going to charge me for all my stuff that they don't charge for on international flights. I'm coming with 2 huge suitcases and 2 carry-ons...ugh.
25This is getting out of control! I fly a lot and have already had it with poor customer service from all of the airlines at one time or another. What other industry can get away with promising one thing and then giving you something else?? If my flight is scheduled to leave at 12m and arrive at 3pm then that is their end of the deal, if they don't uphold their end why should I have to pay for it? Now they want to charge me extra for bringing my clothes??? Honestly, it is out of control and some serious regulations need to be put into place!
TSU, I am so on board with your idea! I have already looked into private planes but it is just way to expensive.
26Ugh. So annoying. I am flying American next week, I may have to upgarde to an elite level since I fly pretty frequently...this is becoming such a hassle!
27I can't believe this! Thank god my flight to England has no stops.
28What really bugs me is that the only reason why I check my bags is so I don't have to worry about my beauty products I pack (liquids)! Now I have to spend to buy those teeny containers!
29i feel like this is just going to backfire, with everyone flying bringing stuffed carry-ons and them ending up running out of room and stuff. so stupid.
30This is infuriating... I would rather carry my bag on than check it, but their restrictions on liquids prohibits me from doing this... and now they're going to charge me because they won't let me carry my bag on?
31everyone used to get so upset because spirit airlines charged per bag...but those flights are super affordable. now to have AA do that? they are expensive to begin with - so it's just making it even less likely that i'll fly that airline if i have options.
32This is a frustrating new update about airlines! A few people brought up good points: is there the possibility that you'd be forced to check your bag because there's not enough overhead space? I think that's pretty possible because, at least on Southwest flights during which everyone just wants to get in and out, a packed flight can translate into bags being checked last minute. If bags are charged, I wonder how they would deal with this. Also, if there are multiple stops or the passengers have to re-check-in (for example, in a new country), I wonder if that same $15 covers the bag. How aggravating to need to think about this!
33I'm with Geeksugar.
They're telling us we can't bring more than 3oz of something or we have to check it in. But then, it'll cost us to check in.
WHAT a RACKET that the customer is getting nickel and dimed.
34That is crazy... when enough ppl complain they will get rid of that!
35I flew with allegiant air in April and they charged me $10 for my one bag I checked in. I was surprised, I never heard about this.
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