AA Checked Bag Fee Belongs in Airline Stupid Hall of Fame

[Matt Molnar]

Great piece from Portfolio (via Wired), analyzing how American Airline's new $15 fee on the first checked bag will probably increase delays, lost bags and pissed off customers—and probably WON'T earn them a single extra penny.

http://www.wired.com/cars/futuretranspo ... folio_0527

[nwafan20]

Yeah, I personally think it was a stupid move and hope the others don't follow.

[Lezam]

Its a good way to con people though. Right now, I am searching for a flight down to florida. They are the cheapest by a couple of dollars, but the baggage fee adds on $15.

[AA 777]

To be honest, I hope other airlines follow - or they all do something together. Face it, the price of Jet-A is 158.59 a barrel and airlines cant possibly keep up with the rising cost of gas. When you can get a ticket to Florida for less than it costs to drive theres a serious problem......

[nwafan20]

So increase the freakin fare! I would rather not sit there and be nickel and dimmed to death. In all truths the fare they are advertising now is completely false because on top of that you have 10 million surcharges, and this $15 bag fee!

[nikon50bigma]

This is just getting way outta hand.
One of the big wigs down in Washington really have start solving the problem at hand.

[Winglets747]

But that’s where rational thinking ended. Arpey set the fee to kick in on tickets purchased beginning June 15, the start of the busy summer-travel season. That means travelers will have to adjust with just three weeks' notice.

Yes, for tickets purchased beginning June 15, but a very small percent of people will be buying tickets on June 15 for travel on June 16.

Adjust? Simple, really. Consider what you're taking and pay the bag fee.

Regarding all of the comments about how people are going to lug huge carry-ons through the security checkpoint and on board, eventually people will learn what is the maximum size/weight.

Paying for luggage is nearly ubiquitous throughout Australiasia except for the legacy carriers. People are very considerate about what they're bringing and how much their bag weighs (you purchase luggage by weight--15kg, 20kg, etc.) Before you tell me that's for Australiasia and this is America, LCCs are booming here and people aren't cutting back on travel.

Sorry, everyone. Luggage fees are here to stay. I'm just waiting for more US airlines (probably LCCs) to start charging for drinks and IFE.