There is no business quite like or more annoying than the airline business. It is the ultimate in sticking it to the customer and passing costs along to the customer. But now I will add it’s the ultimate in nickel and diming people to death. OK, I understand that fuel is at an all time high. However, I also understand that nearly every flight I have flown on in the past 3 years has been sold out or overbooked and there are far less flights and airlines than there used to be. I also understand that fares are as expensive as they’ve ever been too. So explain to me how the airlines are losing money…please, I don’t get it. But the last straw for me is this stupid new checked bags policy that American and now United have adopted.

I rarely check bags but if I do I expect to be able to check a bag or two and that be the end of it. But that will no longer be the case. American Airlines, in all their infinite wisdom has decided to annoy the hell out of its customers and charge for checking bags-and it’s not exactly pocket change either. They are going to charge $15 each way for the first bag and $25 each way for the second bag. And just in case you are doing a big trip they will charge $100 each way for the third, etc. So that means that if you check three bags for a round trip domestic flight-you will pay an additional $280 at the check in counter. Hows that sit with you?

Additionally, this will also significantly slow up check in lines at the airport. Imagine the arguments that will ensue if they tell you that you can’t carry something on that you normally do and you have to check it and pay $30. What happens when someone forgets to pack some suntan lotion or toothpaste in a little baggy and put it in their checked baggage and they catch you with it at the screeners. They tell you to throw it away or check the bag and you don’t want to do either-thats an argument I just had at the airport-which as you’d imagine, I lost and had to throw both toothpaste and lotion away because I didn’t want to go back and check the bag.

However, luckily for us, American has outlined exceptions to the checked bag policy! You don’t have to pay to check a childs car seat or stroller-Sweet! Disabled people do not have to pay to check their wheelchairs which is very thoughtful of the airlines, yet they make fat people buy two seats-go figure. If your family of four is going skiing for the weekend…those skis are going to cost you big time-$25 each way times 4, excluding of course your other checked bags which will up the total for sure.

Now they are being nice and allowing people with status on the airlines not have to pay for checking bags. However, that seems counterproductive to me in that it would be discouraging new business. If I had to fly to Los Angeles and American had a non stop flight from New York but I had no status and I had to check two bags or United for the same price, had a connection and I have status with them: I would certainly strongly consider taking the connection to save the extra $80 in fees and American would in fact lose my business. That seems to make sense to me and I am sure a lot of people would do that as well.

While I’m on the subject of nickel and diming by the airlines: if they are going to charge $5 or whatever for food-can they at least make the sandwiches decent and stop trying to ram those boxes of junk food down our throats-it’s really irritating and unhealthy.

Nobody and I mean nobody has an sympathy for the airlines financial crisis. They are the worst people to deal with in general and as I’ve written several times on this site-they are the only business that can treat their customers like crap and they keep coming back for more. It’s because we have no choice. Unless you have a private jet-you need the airlines and they know it. I can’t tell you how many times I have said I’m never flying American again but I always end up doing it because it’s convenient-sort of, but it’s better than connecting in Atlanta or wherever adding time to your journey.

Basically, I am just sick of the airlines crying foul and passing it onto us-perhaps they should try lowering their executive pay or stop sponsoring NBA arenas which costs a ton. I don’t know what the solution is but I do know that this nickel and diming isn’t going to stop with the checked bags policy…be prepared for paying extra to reserve your seat and other stupid costs down the road. But we will take it and like it (or not) but we will take it nonetheless because we have no choice. God bless the free market.

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