American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#1American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 12:28pm
American Airlines will begin charging $15 for the first checked bag.
What's next? Charging for air in the cabin?
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#2re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 12:30pmGreat, now even more people will be trying to bring too much with them as carry-on.
TheatreDiva90016
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#2re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 12:33pm
On my flight East, a girl spent far too much time trying to cram a bag into the overhead compartment when it OBVIOUSLY would NEVER fit.
Then she threw a tizzy when they asked her to check it.
Maybe it's time to take a train and enjoy the scenery...
#3re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 12:33pm
It's a bandaid. And it's a pain. But don't get too mad at the airlines. They are in deep, deep trouble.
Remember how much an airline ticket used to cost? Like when it cost more than $1,000 just to fly anywhere? Think of what it costs now, thanks to low cost carriers forcing down the price, and keep in mind that they're also dealing with a sucky dollar, expensive fuel and a horribly outdated tracking/navigation system that the feds have ignored for years. A bunch of airlines have already gone belly up in the past few weeks, and more will.
It's gonna get worse before it gets better, kiddies. Fewer airlines, and those left are going to cut capacity.
Updated On: 5/21/08 at 12:33 PM
#4re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 12:36pmUS Air allows you to check one bag now. It's $25 for an additional bag.
TheatreDiva90016
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/10/04
#5re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 12:45pmI flew US Air out, my second bag was $25.00, plus another $25.00 for being over weight.
#6re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 12:55pm
You should watch those carbs, Diva. 
#7re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 12:55pmI hope they never start charging fees to passengers for being overweight.
#8re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 12:57pmIsn't U.S. Scareways charging for aisle and window seats now too?
Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. - Randy Pausch
#9re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 1:01pm
So, you cannot carry on your shampoo and mousse or perfume, but you get charged if you check it.
That is a freaking scam.
Gothampc
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/20/03
#10re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 1:42pm
"I hope they never start charging fees to passengers for being overweight."
They already have. Some overweight people have had to buy two seats.
#11re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 1:44pmThe liquid ban is put in place by the government, not the airlines. Believe me. They'd love to see it disappear.
Namaste
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/24/08
#12re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 1:52pm
That IS a f-in scam, YWIW????
We're getting screwed in every hole.
#13re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 1:55pmMany travel-size toiletries are OK to carry-on. I believe anything 3 ounces or less is OK. Use a clear bag to hold all your toiletries, and take it out of your carry-on when you go through security.
#14re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 2:21pm
Yeah. The problem is that the travel-sized toiletries are a hell of a lot more expensive per ounce than the regular size. And if you travel a lot, that adds up.
I just check luggage. And don't fly American for leisure purposes.
#15re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 2:34pmI stopped flying American years ago ... my parents just flew them to visit me, and they had to fly to Miami on their way to Seattle, with two stops on the way.
Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. - Randy Pausch
#16re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 2:49pm
Yeah. The problem is that the travel-sized toiletries are a hell of a lot more expensive per ounce than the regular size. And if you travel a lot, that adds up.
I invested $5 into a bag full of 3oz empty containers and just refill them when they run out with shampoo/gel/lube/mouthwash whenever I need to.
#17re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 2:57pm
Very smart. Don't mix up the toothpaste and lube containers, though! 
SweetQintheLights
Broadway Legend Joined: 6/12/05
#18re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 3:07pm
While I believe this is ridiculous, the airlines could just raise ticket prices about 20$/per person and most people wouldn't think twice about it.
#19re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 3:15pm
No, they really can't, SweetQ. If one airline raises prices, and none of the others do, they will lose so much marketshare that it will make them even worse off. And, of course, they can't all get together and decide to raise prices because that's, well, illegal.
They haven't kept up with fuel costs at all. They've been able to raise prices maybe $1 for every $4 or $5 of increased fuel costs they've been hit with recently (and add in how much fuel they have to waste doing circles around airports because the outdated flight control technology is preventing them from landing).
These are moves of desperation.
#20re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 3:23pmI started banning American Airlines when I was constantly getting screwed by customer service. The final straw was being stuck at DFW for 8 hours as they bumped me off flight after flight because I had a ticket purchased with frequent flyer miles. They also told me I had never checked in, which was a complete lie and when I asked them to check with my original departure city (it was a connecting flight), the woman actually yelled at me and told me she didn't have to. When I finally got onto a plane, they announced it was also overbooked and asked for volunteers to give up their seats. About 8 American employees piggy-backing on the flight for free refused to budge. I filed a complaint and never heard from them again. And my story is not unusual in any way. American will screw anyone for any reason and never apologize. Keep away.
Mr Roxy
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/17/03
#21re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 3:52pmComing to an airline near you - pay toilets.
Unknown User
Joined: 12/31/69
#22re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 3:57pm
I wish they'd make all passengers check bags- there is nothing worse than being on a full flight with everyone carrying their suitcase on trying to cram them in already packed overhead bins.
And American has also started charging for all in-flight food. You can get a "Snack box" for $5- on a recent early AM flight it was "Cereal and juice" with no way to tell what KIND of cereal and juice. On the return PM flight they had boxes with "Sandwiches" and $3 chips or Large Cookie.
#23re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 3:57pmDidn't they just announce yesterday that US Airways and American had the worst service of any airlines? They're not exactly improving upon that with this decision.
Wanting life but never knowing how
#24re: American Airlines Charges for First Checked Bag
Posted: 5/21/08 at 3:59pmI think JetBlue charges extra for "premium seats." I guess that term is taking over everywhere. If you want more leg room or certain aisle or window seats, you must pay premuim. What-ever. The trains suck too. They are backed up as much as airlines are. I recently took a train from Buffalo to NYC that was supposed to be 7h30m each way. It ended up over 10 hours there and 11 back. Travel in general just stinks. Stay home this summer and save some $$$$. :)
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