No Free Checked Baggage on AA

As if the quotient for irritation with air travel isn't already at an all time high, American Airlines has announced that it will charge $15 for the first checked bag. The charge applies to all discount coach tickets, and is exempt for full fare coach, business class, international flights, and premium frequent fliers. More info on American Airline's site here.

United Airlines is already looking into doing the same, Continental declined comment, and Delta, Northwest and Southwest have no immediate plans to follow suit. We'll see how long that lasts...

As a legitimate carry-on only traveler, I have visions of UFC style fights breaking out in the aisles over that precious overhead bin space for those donkeys who brought on four bags.

Airlines to Charge $25 for Second Bag

Yes, it's official. Shortly after a handful of airlines announced they would charge $25 for a second checked bag, most major airlines now will do the same.

I am a freak about traveling with carry on only, to the point where it drives M nuts, but now it will save me money. My fear is that now everyone will sneak on a decidedly not within 45 linear inch bag, overstuffing the overhead bins.

The new fee of $25 for a second bag is being levied by Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and US Airways. The low-fare carrier AirTran has announced that it will charge $10 for a second checked bag. Airlines have long levied fees for checking a third bag. Some carriers have recently increased those as well, and the fees on the major carriers now run as high as $100.

Jet Blue Sucketh

I just got back from a long weekend in Buffalo (hence the noticeable silence...), and I have to say I had awful flights on Jet Blue. Over an hour on the tarmac at JFK on the outbound flight, then a four hour delay on the inbound flight because the plane needed a part. A part??!! I mean, are you effing kidding me? The lady assured me it wasn't an outside part but an inside part. Um, this is a plus? Inside part like the emergency door handle? Contrary to popular belief, airplane parts, indoor or outdoor, all seem kind of essential to me. And without apology, every flight delay and travel hiccup was met with a stoic silence from passengers. It seems we've become complacent travellers in the inanity of flying. It is the without apology part that is galling to me, and I'll send off my Angry Flyer Letter tommorrow. In the meantime, PiggyBankBlues will be up and running full steam ahead this week. Ah, home sweet home.

Airlines Cutting Flights to Pay for Fuel

If you've had the (dis)pleasure of flying recently, you're in for a not so special treat in 2008- airlines are reducing the number of flights. Why? a sane person might ask. The answer- to increase the fares of course.

Airlines are eager to raise fares because of higher fuel costs. Each $10 increase in a barrel of oil requires the airlines to raise round-trip fares an average of $18, Mr. Baker estimated. About a year ago, oil was as low as $52 a barrel; on Wednesday, it traded at almost $96.

The problem is that we've just gotten so good at negotiating cheaper seats via the web and corporate buying in bulk that the airlines can't raise the fares in tandem with the price of oil. I say, look, I'm paying hundreds of dollars for crap travel, charge me the extra fifty bucks for the gas tank so you can remain solvent and sunny. Because chicken bus travel at 30,000 feet just isn't cutting it.

photo by clemente via flickr