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American Airlines has decided to drop across the country its $2 per bag curbside check-in fee. The airline has been the target of anger and jokes ever since it decided to start charging $15 one-way for a first checked bag (yep, no such thing as a free checked bag on American anymore). It would seem they’re trying to eke out a little good publicity in the wake of all the bad. What do you think — too little, too late? |



It’s not just for good publicity. At Boston’s Logan, where the skycaps won a lawsuit against the curbside fee, AA decided to ban tipping for the skycaps. This has brought on public criticism - even the Boston Globe said “at worst, this is petty, mean-spirited retaliation.”
Comment by Lily Wang — June 2, 2008 @ 1:41 pm
This probably has more to do with pending legal actions by skycaps than a consumer friendly fee structure.
Comment by Joe Rinaldi — June 4, 2008 @ 9:02 pm
I still call “them” bean counters!
When corporate staff fixates on changes to the bottom line such as baggage fees, curbside check-in fees and other amenity charges, they lose what really drives profits:
Dependable service (on-time performance,easy to understand fares and schedules)
Customer Service (by all employees internal & external)
Decision-making by airline professionals (The lawyers & accountants are support staff)
So-called penny pinching prompts current passengers to look elsewhere.
I have.
Comment by Cigar Jon — June 5, 2008 @ 10:08 pm
Interesting - there was still a two dollar charge for curbside checkin at PBI on 14 June, and I had checked in online.
Comment by J A Sowell — June 21, 2008 @ 8:04 am