American Airlines Finds a New Way to Get Your Money
And to Think, They Use to Be My Favorite Airline.
We all shook our collective heads when we found out we would be paying and extra $20 if we needed to check a second piece of luggage. Then, it became $35 for the 2nd piece and eventually most airlines decided that we should pay to check even 1 piece of luggage. When Americans considered that they don't even get free food on the planes anymore and are now paying for a can of cola on their 4 hour flight, the luggage deal just seemed to push some people over the edge. It turned off many people to flying.
So, when CNN reported that American Airlines announced today that they will start charging for what we were just a few months ago making jokes about airlines charging for one day, it almost seemed like an early April Fools joke. It wasn't. They have chosen in all their wisdom to start charging people for a pillow and blanket on the plane. $8 buys you a fleece blanket and an inflatable neck pillow that you can use in flight and keep for future use. (I never used the pillows and blankets anyway because they seemed to so rarely be clean).
If you get cold on the plane, too bad, hand over your credit card and then figure out what you're going to do with the pillow and blanket when you leave the plane. Does anyone else find this to be ridiculous? Soon we may be paying to use the overhead compartment, and you know they will add those quarter locks to the bathrooms so you have to pay to pee. Is there anything left for them to charge us for?
I would rather have any additional charges factored in to each airlines ticket prices, so you know exactly how much you will wind up paying to fly. The airlines are struggling; we all get that, but rather than cut back on some flights and run their business more efficiently, they essentially just price gauge the customers to make up the difference. It's not like they are offering better service or seats with actual butt and leg room for the average sized adult. We still get the bare minimum if we are flying coach class; we are just paying more money for that minimum.
Source: CNN.com and this authors opinion
Published by Sherri Thornhill
I am a retired Police Officer and a professional freelance writer. I enjoy writing about a variety of topics. In addition to Yahoo Voices, I write for Examiner.com as the National Generation X Examiner, the... View profile
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21 Comments
Post a CommentI've never paid to check a bag. Carry-on is fine for trips less than a month. And as an AA elite, I'd have the fee waived if I did have to check.
i hear ya. I like to drive instead of flying if I can, think time. more to see, etc.
It's nice to hear different perspectives on airline fees.
I much prefer the a la carte structure rather than incorporating fees into every ticket.
In the very rare case that I get cold on a flight I can grab more clothing from my carry-on.
I almost always avoid checking bags.
I bring my own food to supplement or replace what the airlines offer.
I don't want to subsidize people who don't plan properly.
Just my 2 cents worth.
Thank you for an interesting article.
Nice article. It always seems silly to me that airlines gave up serving peanuts/pretzels with the drinks. Just how much do these little packets cost? maybe 10cents each if that? Just add 25cents to my ticket and give me a snack for free. Seems crazy. Not long ago the airlines tried to stop you taking larger carry-ons on board, which is a sensible move given the limited space, but now they want to charge you for checking in luggage, which is encouraging people to have larger carry-ons. Seems to me that there is somethign wrong somewhere. Charging passengers $20 for a bag creates a lot of bad feeling, as compared to your fare incorporating this charge, whether you check in a bag or not.
This is good news in the sense that people can read and know what's up. When I took an international position overseas I had two job offers. Luckily the one I was leaning towards offered to pay my full airfare. Whew!
I like their commercial Agnes..but I hate not having assigned seats..somehow I always wind up inbetween 2 big dudes when I fly Southwest, so I avoide them too.
When I can, I fly Southwest. Bags are free.
It is always something, isn't it?
You may be giving them dangerous ideas with that pay toilet thing.
I haven't flown in a couple of years.