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For some, the Family Vacation is as American as apple pie. And with rising fuel prices, vacations are becoming more elusive for many -- economic options for getting away are in short supply. Today's announcement that American Airlines will now charge for any checked baggage was yet another in a long string of unwelcome travel news:
Never mind the free lunch. Almost nothing is complimentary on airlines anymore, not even what many passengers consider a simple necessity: a single checked bag.
Under a plan announced Wednesday by American Airlines, passengers already forced to pay extra for amenities like earphones, meals and even snacks will have to pay $15 to check a basic piece of baggage.
Some other carriers are already charging for extra legroom in exit rows. What's next?
"Pay toilets in the coach cabin maybe," joked longtime airline consultant Mike Boyd.
But airline executives aren't laughing, and other carriers refused to rule out similar fees to stow luggage in the cargo hold.
While no one wants to be saddled with these additional travel fees, obviously, it may be families who find themselves the hardest hit. It's $15 for the first bag, and $25 for each bag thereafter. hikingviking traveled recently and felt the pain first-hand (on a different airline):
We were traveling with an 8 month old on our lap who doesn't get a baggage allowance (only a free checked stroller and car seat). It's close to impossible to travel with a baby and pack into only two checked bags. Fortunately, we didn't get charged for our third bag. I'm not sure if this was because we bought our tickets in early Feb or if it was because I wrote a scathing email to United about how family un-friendly this whole thing was. But we were grateful not to get charged, and the extra room in Economy Plus made the flights almost comfortable. Thank you, United.
So... now imagine that you're flying with a baby on American Airlines, under the new regulations. Even if you pack light, you'll still be paying a hefty amount in fees unless you've figured out how to make that diaper bag invisible....
Diane Meyer at Respublica has a couple of bones to pick over this one:
As much as our family flies, one thing is pretty clear, and it is that everyone on the plane has paid a different price for their ticket. They may have paid a different price from one week ago when they went to the same place. When we go to buy a loaf of bread, whether in St. Louis or Chicago or Atlanta we pretty much know how much it is going to cost. People who eat more bread each week don't get to pay less and people who buy their bread in the morning don't pay less than those who buy at night.
So why can't there be a one price airplane ticket? One price for first class, business class and economy?
And, this charging for the first bag...doesn't anyone believe this will just cause more flyers to overload a carry on bag, leading to a totally unbalanced weight in the plane? I don't want to be in a plane with all the weight on the top.
Bellabeeandanthony's Weblog is written by a mom to two little ones, and her recent experience on American, coupled with the new regulations, made her choice very simple:
Traveling on an airplane with two babies is tricky. Getting on the plane and in the seat was the toughest part. And American Airlines doesn’t make it easy on families like ours. Not only do they not allow pre-boarding for families but they also won’t let any of their employees assist you in getting to your seat. Now, today I see they are going to charge $15 for the first checked bag. My new goal is to fly Southwest and US Air as much as humanly possible. The friendly skies just get less and less friendly and more and more cost prohibitive.
I'm guessing that many business travelers will be unimpeded by these new charges -- either because their employers are picking up the costs or because they don't require checked baggage, or both. It's families who will be hardest hit. Right now, folks can simply opt for another airline, but who knows if others will follow suit? Could your family still afford to vacation if you had to not only pay for the (steadily rising) cost of plane tickets but then additional funds to bring
