Steve Says

You can all it cheap.

I call it frugal.

Either way the news from American Airlines has me in a tailspin!

Let's just for a minute forget about the millions in executive bonuses (and correct me if I'm wrong here, but I haven't anything about those bonuses being cut to save money).  No, instead it looks like you and I will be supplementing AA's bottom line by .. yes.. FEES!

I get it- some things are extra.  Food costs money, not a problem.  As long as I can bring my own food on the plane, I'm not complaining. (look for a later blog entry on the "reasonable" pricing of airport food- I can feel it coming)

There are even some things that I am WILLING to pay extra for. 

At 6'3" I am MORE THAN WILLING to pay for an emergency exit row or bulkhead seat- the extra leg room is a luxury.  I am fully aware that this is an extra- that when I book a ticket I do so with the knowledge that I am paying for a coach seat (lack of leg room and all).  If I want extra.. I should pay extra.  I call the exit row the "poor man's first class" and I'm willing to pay extra for it.

What I am not willing to pay for is my luggage!  Much like I understand the expectation that airline seats are a certain size and that if I want more room I have to pay more money, I think it is a reasonable expectation on the airline's behalf that, unless I am traveling to a nudist colony, I will be traveling with AT LEAST one bag.

To be honest I think the folks at AA are FULLY aware of this.  Apparently all of those other "paid-for" extras haven't been generating enough money, so they have finally found the one thing that most all of us will have- luggage- and now they are charging us for it.

My disclaimer here- I am aware that FULL FARE ticket holders will not be subject to this charge, and that some international and business travelers are exempt too- but I (as a frugal minded consumer who doesn't pay the outrageous full fare) am not exempt.  In fact I think that exemption is basically lip service.  Of course those full fare people are exempt- first off there aren't too many of them, second- if they are paying that outrageous price for a ticket they deserve a little break.

I believe that carry on luggage is also exempt from this fee.  Cut to a plane full of people battling it out for the last spot in the overhead bin.  Can I still check my bag planeside when the overhead bins are full?  Or will the flight attendants now have credit card swipe machines and insist on my $15 bucks? YIKES!

Ok.. back to me. 

I am leaving for a vacation on Sunday- luckily the new fees won't be in effect until mid June.  However, I ALSO think that those who have booked and paid for future tickets already (pre the AA announcement yesterday) should ALSO be exempt from this fee.  Here's why:

I'm headed to a wedding this July- I spent weeks scouring all of my favorite discount airline websites looking for the very best deal.  Am I willing to wake up extra early or arrive a little late to save some money?  YOU BET!  However now my "better deal" on American (which I will be flying to the wedding) is really no good deal at all.

Consider this: I booked my flight on American because it saved me 60 bucks (multiply by two for all of the people in my party and that's 120 bucks). Now, provided each of us bring two bags that's an extra $80 each round trip- ($15 for each of our first bags $25 for each of our second bags).  That's an added cost of $160 dollars round trip.  In short the schedule sacrifice we made in the name of saving money and flying American is now costing us 40 dollars.

Thanks a lot American.  I hope you have enjoyed my business, because I will be thinking twice before I give it to you again.  You have made it clear that your first choice is to put people out of work and pad your own pockets by passing the cost of doing your business on to me! 

On the plus side, yes this may keep the airline in business and without American it would be very hard for me to fly anywhere at all.  And, yes, thank god it's summer- that means clothes that are not too bulky and don't take up too much room.  Yes, I know I can cut down my luggage load to just one bag- that would only cost me $30 roundtrip. 

I ask how many round trip luggage fees and airline employee salaries could a hefty American Exec's bonus pay for?

Clearly this one has struck a nerve.