American Airlines Passengers Paying the Premium

The recent news that American Airlines is going to start charging for checked luggage has sent travelers into a frenzy. It's not enough that airline tickets have increased, but they took away our free peanuts, squeezed us into smaller spaces and now they are making us pay to pack clothes. American Airlines' new price gauge is not the first by industry standards. In recent months, most major airlines have increased fees by way of extra baggage, taxes and fees associated with the plane ticket costs, and even increasing fees for pets and minors to fly. But to pay to check luggage? Was this an inevitable add-on, or is it really as ridiculous as it seems?

A colleague of mine, after hearing the news, announced that she's no longer going to search for the cheapest airfares because as she said, "what's the point?" Instead, her new practice is to buy airline tickets with the airlines she likes. Stay with what you know. You might pay a little extra, but at least you know you're greeted with a smile or a bag of pretzels. As far as airlines go, that says a lot.

I have a couple of questions for American Airlines.

1. If I have to pay you an additional fee to check my luggage, does that mean you aren't going to lose my luggage? I don't see the point in paying you to check my luggage if my luggage never arrives. Do I get my checked baggage fee returned if my bags don't show up?

2. If you are currently struggling to meet budget, why only run one-time promotions? Ex: if a $90 first-class upgrade is offered at the self-service kiosk, why can't you allow passengers the same option at the gate? It's an extra $90. Wouldn't you rather have the $90 instead of nothing?

3. Since inevitably everyone will stop checking their luggage, how are you going to handle the air traffic delays? It's going to take passengers twice a long to board because they'll take twice as long to adjust their bags around themselves in the 2 inches of space allotted on the plane.

It's food for thought, travelers. Consider the airline before you book, and then rethink what you're packing before you board. In the best case scenario, your bags will stay with you during the journey. Worst case: you lost money and your underwear.