Unbelievable
I MIGHT consider flying on an airline that charged for all the checked luggage if it were a Skybus, Ryan Air (you basically do now anyway) type with $30 fares, but not on a legacy airline with $200 fares to start, before you even add taxes, fees and fuel surcharges. I MIGHT consider flying on an airline that charged for all the checked luggage if it had not, in the last couple of times I have flown with them, missplaced either my or someone in my family's luggage. If you charge for a service, then it should be fulfilled. I think American Airlines has demonstrated, at least to me, that it cannot consistently deliver.
I challenge the compensation rules to apply once this fee is assessed since it is now a bought and paid for separate service.
All I can say is personally I am boycotting them, and any other airline that follows suit.