American Airlines Increases Baggage Fees by $5
Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
American Airlines has announced an increase in checked baggage fees that will apply to all passengers purchasing tickets on or after August 14, 2009. Checked bag fees for the first checked bag will now be $20, and the fee for the second checked bag will be $30. The increase in fees will apply to all American Airlines travel affiliates as well as AmericanConnection and American Eagle. Passengers who are part of the American AAdvantage frequent flier program, AAdvantage Gold, AAdvantage Platinum and AAdvantage Executive Platinum will not be required to pay any checked bag fees.
To date, all the major U.S. airlines except Southwest have increased or imposed checked bag fees for domestic and international travel. The fee increases will help the airlines generate more revenue per passenger overall and recover some of the costs of business during a slumping economy. It is unclear whether any of the airlines will decrease fees in the future if the economic climate improves. Current first checked bag fees average $20 per bag and $25 to $30 per second checked bag across all airlines.
Some passengers are turning to alternatives to sidestep the costs of the extra fees. Passengers traveling great distances may find it cheaper to ship their bags via FedEx Ground or UPS, with their items shipping up to three days before arrival at their destination. Shipping costs may be lower for some destinations, and the passenger will be able to track the location of their bags throughout the process. This also means not having to wait at the baggage claim carousel and standing in the long lines at the ticket counter. Others are simply traveling light and packing everything in their carry-on luggage. U.S. airlines do not currently charge a fee for carry-on luggage, and typically permit each passenger to take one piece of carry-on for their trip.