www.CostaRicaTicas.com

American Airlines says it will start charging for checked bags in U.S.
By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

American Airlines said Wednesday that it would charge passengers $15 each way for the first checked bag on round trip flights and later within the continental United States, to Canada and to U.S. territories like Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin islands. The fees will be assessed at checkin for passengers who purchase their tickets June 15 and after. The company will charge $50 for the second checked bag and $100 per piece for the third, fourth and fifth checked bags. The sixth and subsequent bags will be charged $200 each, the company said.

The charges will not be levied on first-class, business class or those who pay a full economy fare. Also exempt are government and military travelers and members of the many frequent flier groups. Also exempt are wheelchairs, Ch*ld car seats and strollers. American, which has a presence in Costa Rica, also said that it has increased its fees for certain other services, ranging from reservation service fees to pet and oversized bag fees.

The increases mostly range from $5 to $50 per service. The company said it estimates that new and increased fees announced this month will generate several hundred million dollars in additional annual revenue. American said it paid $665 million more for fuel in the first quarter of the year than it would have paid at prices in effect a year ago. Its first quarter fuel expense increased by 45 percent year over year, while its total revenue increased by 5 percent, the company said. The price of jet fuel has increased by more than 10 percent since April 16, it noted in a press release.

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!

With the price of fuel going out the roof it doesn't surprise me.

This is a very deceptive way to operate. Why not just raise prices 10% across the board, instead of nickel and dime your customers to death. American is a unreliable carrier anyway. And usually the most expensive flight. So that ends my ever flying them again.

Happy Happy Joy Joy...

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Why settle for just one woman when you can enjoy them all?

American sucks!! I will pay $200 more for a ticket just to avoid them.

If you fly AA direct to SJO, this will not affect you, if you are like most of us and have to connect in MIA of DFW, we pay…

This is a very hot topic on Flyer Talk today, over 20 pages of posts in the last 30 hours …
General consensus seems to be that most understand the problem of increased fuel costs and the need to increase revenue, but this is a solution that came from an accounting department and was at least spearheaded and approved by a CEO that has a heavy accounting background and not any front line experiance.

AA should have just bitten the bullet and increased fares. This is short sighted nickel-dimeing of the consumer will cause more problems and probably cost AA rather than earning them any extra revenue. I'm guessing that the $15 fee will do the following (and more) - none of which a $15 fare increase would do:

- cause more people to carry on a bag
- cause more gate checked bags
- cause longer lines at check-in
- cause delays boarding
- cause delays departing
- further congest the gate and boarding area
- surprise customers at the airport and cause frustration (that will be taken out on front line employees)
- stress and anger front line employees
- make labor contract negotiations worse

AA should now be considered a discount carrier since they offer no extra services to the flyer other than a seat reservation, and they will soon charge a fee for that …

Thus far Delta has announced that they will not follow the AA lead…. I would bet that UL and US Air will follow if AA doesn’t get completely shelled on this….

Mendo

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"It takes a lot of good beer to make a great wine"

This is BS. They already charge a fuel surcharge on the ticket price, just like everyone else does. They're using this as an excuse to screw people even more.

this sucks. I know a lot of guys dislike AA and will pay extra not to fly them, but if you want a direct flight out of Miami, unless you are going to NYC or ATL (there may be other cities but I don't go to Pennsylvania or Charlotte) AA is your best/only option. Back to team Delta!!

I use AA everytime with no problems but then again I fly out of MIA.


Cujo

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"Pain is the fuel that fans the flames of my pyre. A battle plan is only as good as the general carrying it out on the field. This is my war son, and I have the biggest bombs and the smallest conscience"...

My understanding is that the charge does not apply to international destinations. If you book AA PHL/SJO, which would require a connection in MIA, your baggage would be checked in with the final destination SJO and therefore would be considered an international flight. There would be no baggage charge under that scenario.

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Pura Vida
Only Irish coffee provides in a single glass all four
essential food groups:
alcohol, caffeine, sugar and fat.
Alex Levine

CRIMINAL....that's what it is...here's one fur ya....try getting rid of your air miles.... Ya have a better chance at the CRAP tables in the Del Rey....WAIT..there are no crap tables in the Del Rey.... :roll::roll:

Of course as always...that is IMHO....Grosero

I use delta amex card,miles are very easy to use. you can pay all or partof a ticket with miles. I have paid my last two flights this way.

Ditto!

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You ALWAYS have an option ....... "NEXT" !!!