Oneworld member American Airlines recently significantly increased the fees it charges for carrying bags left at the check-in counter. According to their own information, they are turning the price screw for the first time in five years.
It used to be common practice around the world for at least 20 kilograms of luggage to be included. The number of suitcases did not matter as long as the total weight was not exceeded. Later came the so-called piece concept, in which only night travel was included in the luggage. For many providers, this was allowed to weigh a maximum of 23 kilograms and if you had a second suitcase with you, you would be asked to pay at least in economy class. This then led to tariffs in which no checked baggage was included at all and a check-in ice cream had to be paid for from the first suitcase. This “trend” first developed in the USA and has now become the “industry standard” even in Europe.
These are hidden price increases. Most carriers claim that they have reduced the price of the flight itself and only those who really want to check in luggage have to pay for it, but that is only a protective claim when you compare the development of average prices. How much extra you have to pay can vary. Some providers charge fixed additional fees depending on the duration of the flight, while others have dynamic pricing and are therefore unclear.
According to a report from Simpleflying.com, American Airlines now charges at least $35 for the first suitcase when booking online and $45 for the second. Additional fees of at least five US dollars apply when registering at the airport. Significantly higher rates apply on long-haul flights. According to the report, the carrier is now the US airline with the highest baggage fees.
In the United States of America, some media fear that American Airlines could start a trend. Due to sometimes fierce competition, baggage fees have stagnated for several years. Apparently no provider wanted to be the first to increase the price. Now the Oneworld member has taken this step. Experience has shown that in aviation it doesn’t take very long for the competition to catch up, so the man won’t miss out on additional cash.
The other US providers are still cautious, but local media reports say that an avalanche of price increases for checking in suitcases is to be expected. As is often the case: one person starts and everyone else follows suit. Will it really happen? The next few days, weeks and months will probably show that.
The post American Airlines is turning up the price screw: checking in luggage is becoming more expensive appeared first on Aviation.Direct.
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