American Airlines to Charge for Checking Bags

According to ABC News and the Wall Street Journal, American Airlines will be charging $15 to check a bag. This new fee comes on the heels of numerous other airlines announcing that they will be charging $25 to check a second bag. American is hoping that the new fee will help them end up in the black by the end of the fiscal year. With crude oil prices being higher than ever, airlines are having to look for new ways to improve their bottom line. Some airlines are charging for amenities such as a blanket, more leg room or an aisle seat, while other airlines are limiting the number of flights they offer. To some individuals, the implementation of this new fee is not a surprise. One would assume that competitors of American Airlines will get more business since they do not require such a fee. But in order for the competing airlines to make money, they will have to cut costs in other areas, whether it be amenities or the number of available flights.



So what does this new fee mean to passengers? This new fee will probably make the number of carry-on bags increase, which will mean that there will be fighting over the already limited overhead space. What happens if you plan on storing your bag into the overhead bin and there is no room? You'd better be prepared to fork over the extra money to have it checked. How much longer will it be before all the airlines start to implement similar fees?