American Airlines to now charge for checking in bags.

[AndrewR]

Screw these greedy airlines already. They have horrible business models that are notoriously inefficient then have the balls to blame rising fuel costs for their lack of profit.

Forget AA -- I guess I won't fly them anywhere. As for "packing less shit", I typically go for a week at a time and need business and casual clothes plus workout clothes. I'm also a photographer (hobbyist), and that takes one carry on plus a laptop. I don't pack that much, but with three bags (I can get away with combining laptop and camera gear, but I prefer to have the camera gear separate because it is the most expensive), I have to check one which is usually the size that would fit in an overhead bin.

You want to save fuel? Charge by weight, not volume.

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: ShockwaveVT
Great, this will just result in even more idiots trying to cram giant suitcases into the overhead storage bins. What is the airline going to do when the the flight attendant asks you to check your carry on? Charge you $15 on the spot?

super dumb idea, like its been mentioned before, this should be included in the ticket price.

Not to mention that this is going to make the TSA security checkpoints even longer as many folks aren't going to bother putting their liquids and gels in checked luggage anymore.

Gee, thanks American for making the misery of post 9-11 air travel just that much worse. :disgust:

 

[hanoverphist]

Originally posted by: AndrewR
Screw these greedy airlines already. They have horrible business models that are notoriously inefficient then have the balls to blame rising fuel costs for their lack of profit.

Forget AA -- I guess I won't fly them anywhere. As for "packing less shit", I typically go for a week at a time and need business and casual clothes plus workout clothes. I'm also a photographer (hobbyist), and that takes one carry on plus a laptop. I don't pack that much, but with three bags (I can get away with combining laptop and camera gear, but I prefer to have the camera gear separate because it is the most expensive), I have to check one which is usually the size that would fit in an overhead bin.

You want to save fuel? Charge by weight, not volume.

no matter how they charge, their profits wont help save fuel.

 

[buck]

Hopefully they will start charging me less to check my surfboard bag. This $100 each way stuff is BS.

 

[jjones]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
one checked bag up to a certain weight should be included in the ticket price. an extra bag or bags over a certain weight should be an extra fee.

i bet the reason they're doing this is so that their fares will look lower before *taxes, fees, and surcharges may apply

Of course that's why they're doing this. Rather than up the prices, they'd prefer to advertise as low a price as possible. They want to get their best lowest number out there for the consumer to see and have as many add on charges fall under the asterisk.

This will also force the other airlines to do the same in order to compete.

 

[Mermaidman]

Frontier Airlines now charging $100.00 to check in antlers.

Damned airline has gone TOO FAR! :|

 

[Raduque]

I never fly anywhere anyway, and now, I definitely won't. All these damn TSA rules are stupid. As far as I'm concerned, the "terraists" have already won - they win whenever our way of life is changed and our freedoms are lost.

 

[ultimatebob]

Originally posted by: Brainonska511

Originally posted by: Uppsala9496
I'm sure other carriers will follow suit.

This sucks. My company is a bunch of cheap asses so I know they are going to tell me not to check any bags now. The 3oz liquid rule makes a mess of this.
Contact solution - nearly impossible to find the brand I use in 3oz or less (have 1 trial size from my doc left).
Deoderant - Kind I use is 3.5oz. Guess I will be switching brands
Cologne - larger than 3oz bottle

Toothpaste, and shaving cream aren't an issue. Then again, everything needs to fit in a quart size plastic bag. Not exactly easy.

I bring contact lens solution (the big bottles) through security all the time (and no plastic bag either); they might pull my bag aside to check out the bottle, but once they see it, they let it go through, after all it is technically a medical item, so it's exempt from the 3oz liquid rule. Deodorant, I use Old Spice Soft Solid (under 3Oz).

As for charging for checked bags - good people should try to carry less crap. You don't need to bring your entire life with you all the time you go away for a few days to a week. Of course, if you're traveling for a longer time, it does suck a little to have to pay extra to check a bag. If anything, they should consider lowering the bag weight limit before they start charging. Usually it's anything over 50lbs has an added fee, lower that limit to allow for people that pack light but use a large bag.

A big problem with the TSA is that each airport seems to handle the security rules differently. Some places are lax with the rules, and let you take some questionable items with you, while other airports will pick you for a "random" security screening if they look at you funny.