Originally Posted by
IADCAflyer
So here would be my solution:
First checked bag - free
Second checked bag - $25.00
Personal item that fits underseat or overhead - free. A personal item is a purse, laptop bag, tote bag, or small back pack.
Overhead bag - $20.00. An overhead bag is any bag taken on board flight that is not defined as a personal item.
Payment for overhead should be done at check in which will then allow the computer system to print a boarding pass showing - OVERHEAD OK.
Overhead space gratis for all AA elites, 1W elites, and AA affinity credit card holders.
They're not going to give up the revenue for 1st checked bag fees. AA was the first U.S. legacy carrier to implement it. People have tolerated it for a decade.
It was May 2008 when American Airlines announced it would begin charging a fee for all checked-bags, the first major U.S. carrier to do so. Smaller, discount carriers such as Allegiant and Spirit had been charging bag fees since 2007 or earlier, but this was a huge step for a legacy carrier.
https://www.farecompare.com/travel-a...-bags-history/
Checked bags do have a cost - there's handling, and there's fuel burned to carry the weight. Don't assume that people will forego their 20-pound carry-ons and check 20# bags. It will be 'If I have to check a bag I don't need to worry about how much I take.' There's also cost when bags are mishandled, a problem passengers rarely have with their carry-ons.
Now, they might start charging for carry-ons,
too.