What's Next? Are Restaurants Going to Charge Us For Dishes and Silverware?

American Airlines is charging domestic travelers $15 for their first piece of checked luggage. USA Today reports:

Blaming extraordinary fuel prices, American Airlines (AMR) said Wednesday it plans for the first time to charge many passengers $15 on top of airfares to check one suitcase on a domestic flight.

If American follows through, many domestic passengers who check two bags this summer will pay $40 extra each way in addition to much higher airfares than last summer.

Comments

[Sue T.]

Won't charging to check luggage just lead to more people dragging enormous carry-ons aboard the plane? If you're going to charge, charge for ALL luggage.

[SciFiChick]

Yeah, like I'm going to pay $15 for them to lose my luggage.

[Lewis Perdue]

After being treated like a downer cow by United and American about fifteen years ago, I cut up my frequent flyer cards and left them on the ticket counter.

I have not flown either of them in that fifteen years.

They deserve to go belly-up.

[Keith]

But the in-flight bris is still complimentary.

[Rory L. Aronsky]

Even better if you can get the on-board rabbi to sing, "Brick House."

[Maestro]

This is why some folks have taken to shipping their belongings. And, if you're really lucky...

http://www.janeespenson.com/archives/00000563.php

[Graham]

I dunno. If your expenses go up, you gotta charge more to stay in business. I think they should just increase the fares, though, instead of tacking on another "fee".

Companies these days seem more interested in profits than in pleasing customers. It's like aspiring writeres whoe worry more about getting published than writing a good book - they've got the cart before the horse.

[Dan Williams]

Since the profitability of the airlines is so dependent on fuel prices, you would think they would have long ago invested in ethanol production to guarantee themselves fuel at a low price.

Anyway, for those of us not flying today, maybe it will be a great L.A. day.