Why not continue to fly Southwest,safer,cheaper and nicer!!!

What is AA thinking? It’s the bean counters that thought this out, but did not think of the operational needs of this. As a former airline employee, I have first hand knowledge of what’s going to happen with this. The airline is going to start charging for the first checked piece of luggage, this will cause most passengers to carry on their bags, thus creating a log jam on the plane, because someone, somewhere will overstuff their bag and will try to cram it into the overhead. Then after the overheads are filled, they will cram their carry ons under the seats, thus affecting the leg room on an already cramped flight. Families traveling will be able to use all their children to carry on 1 bag, plus 1 personal item (backpack, purse, computer, etc.), as the airline doesn’t not have age limits for carrying on bags, other than they have to have a ticket. So in effect, families will be able to bring a lot more luggage, than the person traveling alone (such as myself). Airlines used to worry about on time performance, with all the carry ons that will be coming, AA will either have to start boarding earlier, or they will take a penalty from the DOT for not pulling out of the gate on time. Someone already mentioned that if the bags are so overstuffed that they don’t fit overhead or under the seat, the airlines usually do a late check at the plane door. What happens in this case, when you still have a line of people lined up at the jetway, bags laying around by the plane door, will AA be collecting $15.00 at this time? The flight attendants are too busy getting the aircraft ready to leave and assisting passengers, then if the jetway fills up with bags, there’s a chance that the bags might get over looked and the plane leaves without them, or because of the excess bags that might come forward to be checked, a baggage handler might ‘mistakenly’ mislabel the bags, or just not care and throw them on another flight somewhere else, or on another flight going to your destination for a later time, causing you to wait at the arrival airport for your bags, or going back later for them. One last point was already brought up also, is that the SkyCaps will lose out on tips, and everyone knows if they are not tipped properly, your bags may end up in hawaii while your waiting for them in paris.

a desperate move by a desperate airline. Sure glad we bulldozed all those trees and forced all those folks in Bridgeton to move, so we could build runways that will be used less and less.

I think this is crazy nickel and diming people plus the extra work for your ticket agents. You are aggravating your customers to the point peole will stay home rather than hassle with the hoops you make them go through to travel. The government needs to step up and reduce the tax on fuel for airlines only. I am a travel agent and no one is traveling. You could be picking up the families who don’t want to drive far to a destination because of gas.

Congress needs to do something about the lack of oil research and oil refineries in our country. We should be in control of our oil production and not dependent on foreign countries. Your lobby should be fighting for that.

Yeah yeah, charge here, fee there.. Well, the enviro-geeks have just about ruined this country by not allowing us to drill our own oil & now airlines are starting to suffer like the rest of us. Get used to it. My only answer is build our railroad system back up to what it used to be. Trains, especially the electrified systems in Europe, are the most economic and fuel-savvy way to move people and freight.

American Airlines is a joke, but so are almost all other airlines. I’m so feed up with airline travel in general that I wish I could change jobs. I almost always tried to drive in a 250 mile radius, but have increased that to 400-500 miles. This is a service business that have no service. The only reason they are in existence is that we HAVE to use them, what else is there? They can do what they want because there are no consequences to their actions. If I treated my customers like this, I’d be out of a job in short order. Sorry for the rant — nothing is going to change for the better in the airline industry, but it does help that most feel the same. See you on the next flight out. I’ll be the one with a long face!! Oh, sorry, that describes most of us!!

Even though the cost of gas has gone through the roof, it’s still cheaper for me to drive to my desination with all these extra fees. How am I supposed to take a 1 year old to visit her great grandparents if I’m charged for every checked item? You’ve got to be kidding! At least if I spend the money for gas to drive myself I can take everything I want and not leave things at home just because I would have to pay for them with the airlines.
I have to agree with the people who rant about the travelers who push the carry on limit. Before I had my daughter, I checked as much as I could. I would take my purse and a book and it was delightful. I would laugh and joke about the traveler who had a purse, laptop and roller bag that barely fits in the overhead who would have to take 10 minutes to settle into and out of their seat. Come on, this whole thing is ridiculous!
I’ll be happy to stay home or drive thank you!

That’s crazy! I can see charging for a 2nd bag, oversize or overweight bag, but everyone needs luggage. It’s going to make a mess at the counter: “I see you have your ticket. How many bags to check? Just one? That’ll be an extra $15.”

This is ridiculous. It is rather like ordering a BigMac and being told I have to pay 15¢ if I want the special sauce.
I have been flying for forty years. Airline travel used to be luxurious, relaxing and convenient; it is anything but that today. The airline attendants were well dressed, well mannered and well - attendent. Over the years the domestic airline service has been a textbook example of what to do to alienate their customers; complicated multi-layer pricing; discounts based upon inconsistancies in advanced purchases; over-booking; non-refudable and non-transferable tickets; change ticket charges; reduction in services; meals and snacks discontinued; frequent flyer plans with more restrictions than a juevenal detention centre; charging for the ticket before the service is provided; long check-in lines even before 9/11. Admittedly, the relative price of a ticket is much less than it was forty years ago, but not twenty years or so back when this customer service reduction plan began. The problem is that there are not any good alternatives to flying. The domestic train service is pathetic, domesic bus service - likewise, many destinations are are too great a distance for automobile or bus travel and most of us are in too much of an hurry anyway. However, what really baffles me is how monopolistic all of the airlines operate. What one does, the others quickly follow suit. Just as there are discount ailines (Southwest - I dislike the cattle car boarding), I would think there would be full service carriers for those who, are willing to pay a bit more to be treated with the courtesy and respect that a customer should be able to expect. The problem with first class is that it is exhorbantly priced, and except for the flight time, the service is just as poor and even the first class flight service is hardly first class anymore.

It’s a good thing the flights I booked last week are frequent flier rewards. If this would’ve happened after I paid for a fare, holy heck would’ve broken out.