Baggage fees: What's the real cost?

Flying in from Boston last night, I found the real cost of baggage fees appears to be what many had feared: Time, not money.

Carrying on luggage has been the preferred method for savvy travelers for several years, since baggage loss and delays became more common. But with new fees for checking bags -- on American, it's $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second, unless you're a high-level mileage program flier -- nearly everyone seems to be trying to cram their entire wardrobe into the overhead bins.

At least that was the case on my flight last night. The result was predictable: A longer-than-usual boarding procedure, cranky passengers, and a flight delay.

So you have to wonder: Is American actually picking up any additional revenue by charging that $15? And what about the losses incurred by those delays? You have to figure that the longer a flight a delayed, the more it costs the company.

What's your experience been since the new charging rules went into effect? Have your flights been delayed? Are you paying the $15 to avoid the overhead-bin squeeze? Please comment below.

Comments

[Brent Ozar]

I agree 100% - I wish they would have charged for ANY bags instead, regardless of carry-on or checked. At least that way it would have avoided the current push to carry crazy amounts of luggage onboard.

[Elizabeth Soto]

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