I Will Never Fly American Airlines Again.
May 21, 2008 – 11:22 amDear American Airlines,
I’m done with you. Absolutely done.
Despite my friends constantly badgering, you have been my airline of choice for a good part of the last decade. I defended you when people said they had bad experiences. When friends said that you were “old-fashioned” and “bloated,” I would say, “yes, but they still work. And they’ve gone out of their way to fix any bump in the road I’ve ever had.”
I had every reason to defend you: it’s easy to get to JFK, your prices have been relatively reasonable, you haven’t screwed me over, and when I faced the prospect of getting stuck in O’Hare for a whole day, you gladly changed my reservation - on an award ticket!
But today, we are through. I will never fly your airline again after the announcement you made today.
YOU ARE CHARGING $15 TO CHECK A BAG. A BAG. ONE BAG.
Screw you. If other airlines jump on board this obscene policy, you are to blame. The government has made it illegal for me to carry liquids through security. The only way to get past this is to check a bag.
Do I want to bring a bottle of wine for being a houseguest? $15.
Am I having a bout of extremely dry skin and need to carry a bottle of lotion? $15.
Is my tube of toothpaste 1 ounce too large to get through security? $15.
You say that this will help you cover fuel costs. Heavy planes cost more to operate. In the end, it’s just a big fuck you to your passengers.
If I check a 20-pound bag of luggage and weigh 180 pounds, I pay $15. Yet the 300-pound fat guy wedging me into my seat took a massive backpack, so he pays nothing. He also spent five minutes trying to jam it into the overhead bin, holding up the entire plane by slowing down the boarding process. Oh, and before he got there, it took him ten minutes to shove his backpack through the x-ray machine at security, slowing up the entire airport.
And you want to charge me $15. Each way, by the way. Fuck you. We’re through.
Your Formerly Loyal Customer,
Chris
24 Responses
i am reminded of a letter i wrote to american airlines on behalf of a flamboyantly gay friend whose baggage was lost on the way home from my wedding:
dear mr. crandall:
be on the lookout for a baggage handler wearing pink and green pants, big clompy shoes and a cashmere turtleneck. that’s the motherfucker who stole my louis vuitton bag.
sincerely,
[name redacted]
By keith on May 21, 2008
Yeah, and this also means you’re fucked for self check-in… and since they’ve reduced the number of ticket agents, everyone is fucked. Welcome to getting to the airport 3 hours early.
By Kelly on May 21, 2008
Deregulation sure ended up working out great, didn’t it?
By Sarah on May 21, 2008
I just read American Airlines currently charges you $25 to check a second bag. I wonder if that charge will stay after they institute the $15 charge for your first bag.
By Mel on May 21, 2008
Mel: Yes, it will. $40 for two bags.
By the way, Southwest Airlines charges nothing to check two bags.
By Chris on May 21, 2008
Totally sharing this post on my google reader.
I love that bloggers have discovered the best disgruntled customer revenge. Blogging!
By Tina-cious.com on May 21, 2008
AA’s new policy of $15 for ONE piece of checked luggage is ABSURD. I fly over 25 times a year and I can in all honesty say that I will take all available steps to avoid flying on American Airlines. What’s next? Is AA going to make the toilets on the plane cost money to use? Or perhaps we will have to buy locker keys for the overhead bins?
By Dave Amirault on May 21, 2008
Ugh… my company insists that we fly on AA whenever possible. This sucks!!
By Gwin on May 21, 2008
Hey Dave - Be QUIET!
You’re going to give them ideas!!!
By 7 on May 21, 2008
gwin…what’s the big deal if your company is paying for your travel. This only directly impacts the leisure traveler.
By NYGabriel on May 21, 2008
American has a laundry list of exceptions to the new rule. Included are AAdvantage elite members, which I’m sure you are if you fly that often, Dave.
By Kelly on May 21, 2008
Jetblue doesn’t charge anything for 2 bags either. Unless they are over 50 lbs, that will cost you for a second bag. I’m thinking American Airlines will lose more customers with this little trick.
By *Red on May 21, 2008
I just went to the aa website and the dont say anything about the $15 charge. It says you may check one bag at no charge and a second bag at a $25 charge.
By val on May 21, 2008
Man, it’s a tough life…. flying that is. You definitely have a reason to be angry. How dare they change your routine. Where are the sheep? JK
By Conservatives and Normals on May 21, 2008
Ridiculous… Continental isn’t charging for one bag, but bring a second one and it’ll cost you $25.
I’m all for a “fuel/fat surcharge”. It’d be easy! If someone needs one of those seatbelt-extenders, they should get billed the price of a second ticket!
By Todd on May 21, 2008
“Chairman and Chief Executive Gerard J. Arpey said he expects the fees will raise “several hundred million dollars” for American.”
Now change “the fees” to “raping his clients”
By Todd on May 21, 2008
Airlines should charge by the pound. That goes for both fat bags and fat passengers. They do it with the space shuttle, don’t they?
Being the skinny bitch that I am, of course, I would get the better end of this deal
By jamie on May 22, 2008
I’m going to make it my business to steal $25 worth of merchandise off of American Airlines flights whenever I have the misfortune enough to take them. Until they start charging for blankets, then I’m going to take a home a flight attendant.
By Tyler on May 22, 2008
I’m with you on the fat surcharge. I’ve taken off 60 pounds, so I should be able to check at least that much luggage for free! And when your seat-neighbor’s fat is spilling over onto your lap, they should be charged for a second seat. That’s just disgusting.
I’m so glad I don’t fly often… It’s a horrific mess.
By Sheryl on May 22, 2008
My last flight ever on American was the one where a flight attendant told a hungry passenger, complaining because they had run out of food by the 27th row of a 40 row plane, that “maybe you should have booked a ticket on JetBlue.” Thank you, I will never have the audacity to expect the right to pay for food on an airplane ever again.
Please, make people pay by weight!!! And save the food for the skinny people who might starve!!!
By Megan on May 22, 2008
Actually, JetBlue is implementing as of June 1, that a second checked bag will cost $20, they started charging for the extra legroom seats ($15 each flight) and they will no longer be giving away headsets. Plus their flights have gone up in price.
By nicotine.queen. on May 22, 2008
$15 EACH WAY. It’s really a $30 tack on to a RT ticket. Ridiculous, completely ridiculous. I’d have been find with them saying “gas is killing us, we’re raising prices” but to do it as a bag check fee, they totally suck. I’ve always been an american flyer– hell with that–southwest here i come.
By Gr8dan2 on May 22, 2008
I don’t think I’ve flown American since 2004. And that was a free ticket, purchased with miles racked up mainly during college, when I lived in Miami, and American dominated. They aren’t very convenient to fly from where I am now, and I plan to try to avoid them thanks to this little surcharge.
My airline of choice, Delta, has said it does not plan to implement a fee like this. I hope it stays that way.
By Eric on May 22, 2008
I am JetBlue all the way. They might fuck me over come June - but at least they offer plenty of leg room for me to properly bend over so they can get the job done.
By magickat on May 25, 2008