American's New Baggage Fees.....aaargh!

[ccannon707]

On top of higher ticket prices, now add $50 more.

Quoting from AP:

American Airlines Group Inc. announced changes to the frequent-flier programs and checked-bag policies on Tuesday. Here are some of the highlights of changes to American's bag fees:


— A new charge of $25 to check a bag from the U.S. to Mexico, the Caribbean or Central America, starting immediately. A second bag is still $40.

 

[Skittl1321]

I am really annoyed about all these changes. The frequent flier redemption has gone up ridiculous high, plus the baggage fee to Mexico.

It's ridiculous they can make people who booked tickets under the old rules pay that- seems like if your ticket said free checked bag, you should get one!

 

[mike_bayer]

lol - I could handle the extra $50 if the airline actually provided proper service.

On March 29 our flight from Cozumel to Montreal was delayed so we missed our connecting flight to Toronto. The flight landed at 10:30pm and I spent the next 25 minutes searching the arrival and departure terminals for an Air Canada agent for our hotel vouchers. Just before 11pm I approached the information counter on the departure level. She spent the next hour and a half calling (4 times) and paging (at least 5 times) for an agent. As I was traveling with my 85 year old mother (in a wheelchair) and my ten year old daughter, I was clearly unhappy that an agent did not show up until 12:30. When another passenger mentioned that we were waiting first, she rudely replied that she already started doing his voucher and would get to me when she was finished with his. By the time we got our vouchers it was close to 1am. Thankfully we stayed at the Marriott attached to the airport which was wonderful. When I told the Air Canada agent that words could not express how disappointed and upset I was she simply shrugged her shoulders and said thats too bad. Sadly, it seems this attitude is not the exception but the norm. Since our luggage was put in storage, security took my $75 bottle of tequila from my carry on the next morning even though it was in a duty free bag sealed with a zip tie. I will be making a formal complaint with Air Canada. Am I hopeful that they will adequately address the mistakes? Not really. It seems like the only way you can lose your job at Air Canada is by committing a criminal act.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

 

[Mossman]

It's ridiculous they can make people who booked tickets under the old rules pay that- seems like if your ticket said free checked bag, you should get one!

They can't and they don't. The changes are prefaced "For tickets purchased on or after April 8, 2014"

 

[Lost Sailor]

Now what day did I buy my tickets.... March 28... nice!

Can't win anywhere anymore, though. Just finalized flights to Cancun in May for a buddy's bachelor party - between the seats and the luggage it added $240 for three of us - with one checked bag apiece, no carry on (guess we get to use under the seat, for now), and the cheapest seats on the flight. (That trip is with Spirit, so I am scared already)

 

[mstevens]

At the same time, they sent out announcements that with my US Airways Mastercard I will get my first checked bag for free AND that they will replace it with an American Airlines AAdvantage Mastercard. They did not specify whether I get a free bag with the new card, or how I can use my old card after they've replaced it.

 

[CT Sean]

Yes I saw that also and wasn't too happy about it - thankfully I got my Cozumel tickets last year. Since AA is almost always the best option from my home airport, it will certainly affect future my Caribbean travel.

 

[mstevens]

It'll affect boarding and disembarking in a very negative way. This is why Southwest Airlines doesn't charge for the first couple of checked bags - it reduces passengers' need to try to carry everything they own in hand luggage, causing delays as people try to lug all that stuff aboard and stow it.

This won't really affect me, and I suppose it's probably keeping my fares lower, since I don't need to check bags or travel with lots of carry-on to Cozumel, but I think that if they need to raise fares they should just go ahead and do that

 

[mathauck0814]

I see it as incentive to travel more. Even the basic frequent fliers get free checked bags (25,000 miles isn't that much travel).

Or just book in first class and alleviate yourself from the nickel and dime game if you can afford it.

 

[Skittl1321]

At the same time, they sent out announcements that with my US Airways Mastercard I will get my first checked bag for free AND that they will replace it with an American Airlines AAdvantage Mastercard. They did not specify whether I get a free bag with the new card, or how I can use my old card after they've replaced it.

For our travel level, we decided the card wasn't worth it anymore with devalue of frequent flier miles. Yeah, your checked bags are free, but you pay for the first four with the annual fee. Well get better rewards elsewhere. Your experience may be different.