American - $15 Charge for FIRST Bag

[twoputt.plusone]

I was trying to figure it out also, but ElvisandTracy said that they were a family of 5 w/ 8 to 9 pieces of luggage (sounds like a question on a math test:D :D ) so that would mean if they assigned each traveler 1 piece of luggage (@$15 each)that would still leave 3 to 4 pieces leftover. So at least 3 to 4 travelers would have to claim and extra piece of luggage at the $25 charge. So that would mean and extra $150 to $175 EACH WAY!

Whew, ok no more math today please:D

 

That was my thinking. Expensive as it sounds, you wouldn't get anywhere near the $100+ surcharge for more bags.

 

2P.P1

[jbrambach]

I'll be passing on formal night, can't pack for it anymore. If RCL is paying attention I want to tell them although I cruise with them more often then any other cruise line i may be switching to Princess because as an Elite member of Princess i get free laundry and dry cleaning which just became a gold mine since i need to underpack in one suitcase.

I love both lines eqaully but I agree, that and the free laundry for Elite (and onboard laundry rooms) plus the internet packages are well worth traveling with Princess.

[dmdiver]

This is what AA's policy is going to do. Thankfully, we bought tickets for our two AA trips this year before May 12th (including for our 9 day cruise!), so we'll get the 2nd bag, also. But we plan on really minimizing carryons for our cruise because I know the entire plane is going to try and bring the kitchen sink in the cabin with them. :rolleyes:

 

 

 

So, if you already booked your airfare you don't have to pay the surcharge for the 1st piece of luggage?

[PapaBear67]

As more casual fliers start "downsizing" their bags and trying to carryon luggage they previously would have checked, those overhead bins are going to become a nightmare. And flight times will increase because more time will be spent on the ground while joe carryon tries to rearrange 5 passengers' bags to make room for his. When this happens enough, the airlines will have to reduce the number of flights a particular jet can make in one day, thus reducing their profit significantly more than their gains on this baggage thing.

 

Here's my question - on the smaller regional jets (like Embraer or Canadair), where they let you take your carryon to the gate but then stow it down below (as if it was "checked"), will they be charging those passengers for a checked bag? Who would collect?

 

A lot of airlines have been moving in this direction. Ultimately, the old seat competition that we see at Southwest will now become a race for "overhead space" at all airlines, where people will arrive at the airport early just to be able to get their carryon in the overhead compartments.

 

And the business travelers, who usually pay the most for the flight, tend to pack light and carry on their luggage (and thus are the least fuel burden of anyone on the plane), will be left out in the cold because by the time they get to the airport after their out-of-town meeting, the overhead space is gone. I always check my luggage on the rare occasion that I travel for work, but you have to admit that paying $900 for a seat, and not being able to use the overhead bin because the $200/seat vacationer tried to save $25 on a checked bag by having his kids all take carryons, is ludicrous. Nothing against the vacationer, but this is just going to bring out the Scrooge in all of us.

 

I think the end result is that, in order to accomodate the additional carryon luggage, the carryon size limits will be decreased industrywide.

 

As if flying wasn't already unpleasant and painful.

[kywildcatfanone]

Thanks, that takes care of our problem for January as we booked a few weeks before the May 12th posting date. Looks like I don't have to cut down on the packing for the NEXT cruise and will not be accessed the extra charge at check in, but after that, who knows?

 

Toto, I wonder what affect these new restrictions will have on formal night on cruises, what with having to pack additional clothes. We did formal nights on our first cruise, but decided it wasn't worth our time after that to pack an extra suitcase, and now I have an even better excuse.

 

Mike

[Lew's cruise]

Let me just vent by saying I will not fly American Airlines unless it is my last possible option. If people are just willing to give in to them then the corporations will never worry about charging extras in the future. What a fall from the greatest to just another place in the world. Who is worring about the consumer?

[SunnyinMA]

I booked tickets on AirTran today for our Feb. cruise and it cost me $6 per seat each way to be allowed to select seats together so that my son can sit by me. It would have been $20 per seat each way to select emergency row seats. We also get one bag free and $20 for the second one (or 10 if you do online check-in). I'm sure the cost is not done yet...there must be a charge for something else...

 

I've heard people say when they come back from a cruise that they felt nickel and dimed and I never understood it...now I do...

[twoputt.plusone]

If you travel enough it maybe time to look into bigger sized luggage. Maybe one of those giant rolling duffles - they look like they hold a lot of stuff.

 

Every airline I've ever flown has maximum size restrictions, over and above the weight limit. If I remember my last SouthWest flight correctly, the circumference of a checked piece of luggage cannot exceed 62". Just one more thing to keep in mind when you buy new luggage.

 

2P.P1

[ElvisandTracey]

Here's the letter if anyone's interested:

 

Dear Sir:

As a frequent flyer on American Airlines for the past 15 years, I am appalled to hear that you will be charging $15.00 for one checked bag. The nature of your business is to service people who are traveling, how does one travel without any clothing? I understand that some airlines have begun to charge for additional bags, but to charge to check one bag per person, that is absurd. Then, if we try to overfill a bag to save additional bag fees, you charge us for an overweight bag. What do you expect us to do, go on our vacations naked, shoeless and without any personal possessions? Please.

I was about to book airfare for a party of 6 on your airline to go from LAX to MIA for a cruise, but, to be frank, I am now reconsidering. I will have 3 adults and 3 children, each with at least 1, maybe 2 bags per person. If you have ever traveled anywhere with children you know than sometimes kids need a lot of stuff for a few weeks away from home. After hearing of this first bag charge, I will probably take a different airline, even though American was the only one with non-red-eye nonstop flights. If it means being gouged by American, I would rather be inconvenienced than robbed.

Perhaps, after you have received hundreds of thousands of missives such as this one, American will reconsider its position on this charge.

Regards,

[LMB01]

Here's the letter if anyone's interested:

 

Dear Sir:

 

As a frequent flyer on American Airlines for the past 15 years, I am appalled to hear that you will be charging $15.00 for one checked bag. The nature of your business is to service people who are traveling, how does one travel without any clothing? I understand that some airlines have begun to charge for additional bags, but to charge to check one bag per person, that is absurd. Then, if we try to overfill a bag to save additional bag fees, you charge us for an overweight bag. What do you expect us to do, go on our vacations naked, shoeless and without any personal possessions? Please.

 

I was about to book airfare for a party of 6 on your airline to go from LAX to MIA for a cruise, but, to be frank, I am now reconsidering. I will have 3 adults and 3 children, each with at least 1, maybe 2 bags per person. If you have ever traveled anywhere with children you know than sometimes kids need a lot of stuff for a few weeks away from home. After hearing of this first bag charge, I will probably take a different airline, even though American was the only one with non-red-eye nonstop flights. If it means being gouged by American, I would rather be inconvenienced than robbed.

 

Perhaps, after you have received hundreds of thousands of missives such as this one, American will reconsider its position on this charge.

 

Regards,

 

If you are a frequent flyer with AA and have status in their program, these fees do not apply.

[cruiserbryce]

excellent letter

[aggieastrosfan]

So, if you already booked your airfare you don't have to pay the surcharge for the 1st piece of luggage?

 

That's what I've read. If you purchased your ticket before May 12th, none of the extra bag fees apply. Between May 12th and the June date, only the 2nd bag fee applies. After the June date, you pay for the first bag.

 

So if you have a trip coming up and haven't booked it yet, now's the time to think about doing it...

[agabbymama]

That just adds American Airlines to my list along with United, of airlines not to fly. If everyone jumps on this one, I will stop flying period. I can find lots of places here in the States to drive to for my vacation.

 

I actually prefer foreign carriers for amenities and ontime performance anyway.

[ElvisandTracey]

If you are a frequent flyer with AA and have status in their program, these fees do not apply.

 

Doesn't help the rest of my party though-and I'm not sure thay I have any particular status other than mileage points.

[cruiserbryce]

there is no legal violation...but I do think its a terrible business decision...I wont be flying with AA in Sept thats for sure

[cruiserbryce]

any possibility of me flying with AA in sept just went out the door

[MakinGold]

Do you really think oil will last forever? It won't. Face it, we need to find a better source of energy - and not NUCLEAR either. That has problems enough on its own with not having a way to dispose of the waste.

 

Well, we could move to warp drives, if we could find a steady source of dilithium crystals . . .

[Quacker]

We recently were on AA traveling from LAX to JFK. Our flight was canceled while we were in line - the next to be checked in. They sent us to Dallas and then to JFK. That flight was delayed so it took us 12 hours to do a 6 hour flight plus missing our flight to Helsinki. On the return trip the flight from JFK to LAX was canceled and were sent through Chicago. I guess there was a couple of good things - we made it alive and even got our luggage!:mad:

[twoputt.plusone]

All this is ultimately going to lead to is less people flying AA. They will now have to factor in $15 more for each ticket and in the airline industry, sometimes $15 is all it takes to get a different flight. And this is something I don't even see succeeding due to FAA laws. Now people have no way to take some items with them while flying. It's just going to put the travel business out of business.

 

It's only $15 if you're flying one way with a single checked bag. Are you planning to fly home or walking? ;) :D

 

2P.P1

[familyof4cruising]

I want to understand this. So when we get to the airport we will have to get on line and give our Credit card or cash when we check in? This will make check in a slower process. I am flying AA in October. February and April. What happens when it is a heavy load luggage? That is why the 2nd bag is more money. On my 3 nigth cruise in October the 4 of us are doing carry ons only. For our 7 night cruises we have no choice but to pay! We are nickeled and dimed everywhere we go nowadays!

[2boyzmom]

My tickets were purchased in March for February 2009. Will I be stuck paying these fees? I would have booked Delta if I had known this nonsense was going on..... And yup- looks like the gowns and tuxes are staying home!!

[Cruisin' Ron VA]

And there are plenty of people who can manage to fly without having to check any baggage, even if they are staying overnight or more at their destination. I do it all the time.

 

But if you find yourself unable to do this, then you might want to choose another airline. That is what choice is all about!

 

And there are plenty of people who cannot manage to not take any luggage on a cruise. A carry on might work for a 3 day but most of us who take a 7, 8 or 10 day cruise need our luggage.

 

Please tell me how you manage to cruise without luggage short of wearing the same thing every day.

[AnotherCruisingKid]

Yes, it will make me exempt from paying the $15 fee, but not from the cabin chaos that will likely result from those who don't want to pay the fee. I drafted an email to American via their web site and am mulling over whether to bother sending it. Do you think that flying could become any worse any experience if you get on an airline's you-know-what list? Could I end up banned for life from American for calling this an IDIOTIC policy? :eek: ;)

 

You're best off pushing for Platinum and boarding before group 1. That way you have a better shot and the benefits at plat make going back to gold a no no.

[AnotherCruisingKid]

The point is, I would much rather be spending that extra $15/bag ($30 pp for DH and I) on a few cocktails or dinner at a specialty restaurant onboard.

 

And as for your comment about going camping if you can't afford a few extra dollars is uncalled for; you shouldn't make people feel ashamed b/c they are on a budget. Some of us budget all year just to take a nice cruise and get away from it all.

 

I agree with you here.

 

I know I'm on a budget because ever since I was a kid, my eyes were bigger than my stomach. Who knew as adulthood came along my stomach would become my wallet.

[AnotherCruisingKid]

I guess this is where it pays to be an AA Platinum member :)

 

We'll be flying to Miami this October for our Freedom cruise. Both of our tickets are in First class and our reservation agent told us our baggage fees are automatically waived.

 

As for my future travels, I'll have to send an email to see if my AA status qualifies for the first bag to be exempt. $30/RT isn't going to break me by a long shot and I don't fault the airlines for trying to balance out their costs no more than I do the cruise lines for trying to balance their own costs.

 

Its on the AA home page that status members do not pay these fees.