American to halt curbside check-in fee, lifts tips ban
May 30, 2008 1:03 PM ET
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American Airlines Inc. will stop charging $2 a bag for curbside check-in and has agreed to lift a ban on tips for skycaps at Boston's Logan International Airport.
Skycaps have been protesting the airline's $2 fee for curbside check-in, claiming they have lost tips because many passengers mistake the fee for a tip, or will not tip in addition to paying the charge.
Earlier this month, American banned tips for skycaps at Logan Airport after a federal jury last month ordered the Fort Worth-based airline to pay $325,000 in back wages to nine Boston-based skycaps. American said the tips ban was done to comply with a Massachusetts tips law.
A federal judge in Boston was set to hold a hearing Thursday on the skycaps' request to lift the "no tip" policy, but the airline reached an out-of-court settlement with the attorney representing the Boston skycaps, according to American spokesman Tim Smith.
Under the agreement, Boston skycaps will be allowed to accept tips again beginning June 15. That is also the day when American will stop charging $2 for curbside check-in and begin charging passengers $15 for their first checked bag.
In return, the Boston skycaps have agreed to drop a civil lawsuit that accused American Airlines of using the "no tip" policy to retaliate against the skycaps who won the wages lawsuit.
American is owned by Fort Worth-based AMR Corp. (NYSE: AMR), which also owns American Eagle Airlines.
Web site:
www.aa.com
