If that were the case, they wouldn't be losing money.

The reality is, AA wants to raise ticket prices by a little less than $15 to compensate for rising costs. But doing so would hurt sales due to one-click buying tendencies. So instead of charging everyone a little less than $15, they're charging some people $15 at a different point in the transaction.

I don't really see the big deal. They need to raise prices. You will be paying more to fly because they need to make money. I don't particularly care how they do it, and, like Alex, kinda prefer the "pay for what you actually use" model.

Well, this coupled with our previous horrendous customer service experience ensures that the LashPair will not be flying United in the future (we always have luggage with us in the USA).

...Especially the United team at Chicago Airport. They suck HARD.

It also means that I have to keep track of which airlines have additional fees and which don't. Of course, some will seek to differentiate themselves my marketing their lack of additional fees, which may make my job easier. For now, I add American to the list of Airlines I Will Not Use. (It joins United and US Air.).

And Reagan National I had to remove the extra .5 lbs of stuff from the suitcase. I mean really. Over by .5? I've never had anyone waive the weight limit. No matter how close, I've always had to repack or cough up funds.

Of course, they also let me carry on 20oz of low quality ginger ale, as has already been discussed.

Sure they would. Let's say that for now $10 out of every ticket goes for luggage costs. Since it's built into the ticket American gets this fee regardless of your checking a bag or not.

After June they will be adding a $15 fee to check a bag but they will not drop the $10 already built into the ticket price. So now if you don't check a bag American makes $10 from you (the built in fee) and if you check luggage they make at least $25 (built in + new fee). They won't let that stand. They will want $25 from you regardless of your checking the bag or not. To do that they will either A) Roll the $25 back into the ticket cost so everyone pays or B) Start charging for carry on luggage.

Then charge for pillows, blankets and peanuts, too. And there should be an air usage fee put in there, too. Each trip to the bathroom should cost a dollar. (With that last one, I'd be screwed.) :D

If they can dissuade enough people from checking bags, then they can sell the extra cargo space to freight companies. I'll bet there's a decent profit there.

And if there's less luggage the plane uses less fuel because it's lighter.

yeah, but I have to fight as it is to find a spot for my 1 carry-on

The bottom line is, they need to increase revenue or die. One way or another, you're paying for it. They've found that keeping that cost in the ticket price means fewer ticket sales. So they've found a way to get people to pay.

In the end, you're right, they want that $25 out of you. And they'll get it. Who cares how? If this is what works, and keeps airlines in business, then that's what it is. As long as it doesn't cause a massive inconvenience (and, as I argue above, this doesn't) it doesn't bother me, especially if it means that it leaves an opportunity for me to benefit by being frugal.

American pretty much dropped all flights out of my home airport in NY, which pretty much meant I was no longer flying them even though they were supposedly the "preferred" airline for my company. Then they decided that all miles were going to start expiring. So since it was now too inconvenient for me to ever be able to book a mileage ticket my miles expired. Too bad. Not flying them anytime soon.