American Airlines adds another fee!

[Parche]

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- American Airlines has discovered a new way to charge passengers for something they used to get for free: sitting near the front of the plane.

On Wednesday, American Airlines, owned by AMR Corp (AMR, Fortune 500)., unveiled its "express seat" offer, which allows passengers to pay extra to sit in the first few rows of coach.

The size of the fee depends on the flight, with longer flights charging more. American provided the following introductory fees: $19 for St. Louis to Chicago, $29 for San Francisco to Dallas/Forth Worth or from Boston to Chicago, and $39 for New York City to Los Angeles or from Honolulu to Chicago.

http://money.cnn.com/2010/08/18/news/companies/american_airline_fees/index.htm?source=cnn_bin&hpt=Sbin

[DURHAM D]

1. I would pay extra to be in the emergency exit row.

More leg room.

[kirby]

2. It is people like you...

who are willing to accept these fees that allows the airlines to get away with these games.

[DURHAM D]

11. Right - blame me.

Gheez.

[kirby]

14. Absolutely...

If everyone rejected and was shocked by the fees, it would not be imposed. When there are a group of people who accept it or even welcome it, it legitimizes it.

[DURHAM D]

16. Ok - I will make a phone call and put a stop to it.

I had no idea I have so much power.

:sarcasm:

[DainBramaged]

32. Right, a few upset DUers will change the way the airlines screw the customer

Most Duers can barely afford bus fare let alone worry about airline fees.

[blueamy66]

21. I am female with a 36 to 38" inseam...

damn straight I'd pay more for the E exit seats...

[marmar]

3. $19 for the privilege of getting off the plane a few minutes earlier?

Puh-leaze.

[joeybee12]

5. Does that mean your baggage is on the carousel earlier also?

Or do you wait around just as long as those who don't pay that $19?

[marmar]

6. Exactly.....that kinda negates the advantage of getting off the plane early.....

..... only to have to wait for the bag you paid $25 to check.

[NeedleCast]

20. Only if you checked a bag...

[joeybee12]

26. Yeah, and if the plane goes down, that $19 spent ain't gonna save you either!

And will they guarantee you don't get an obnoxious person next to you who talks loudly, elbows you, etc?

[leftofcool]

12. No, it will still take an hour....providing they don't lose it.

[Roland99]

18. the joys of carry-on traveling!

[Statistical]

25. When I use to fly every month for my job I never took a carryon.

Laptop in case (w/ portable projector) = "personal item"
Samsonite carry-on (the exact maximum size allowed by airline regulations) = "single carry-on".

More than enough to pack for 3-5 day business trip including suit & dress shoes.

Then again most people flying business will go business class but I guess some casual travelers may pack equally light.
I could see going on weekend trip to Vegas and only using a carry-on.

[LynneSin]

24. I get some very severe claustrophobia on planes so I would pay an extra $20

I try everything in my power to get those front seats including getting to the airport early enough so I'm in the group that gets boarded first. I'm a tall girl with a few extra pounds on her butt so long flights can be very annoying and painful to me because the airlines have us so fricking cramped in there.

I remember the time I did the red-eye from San Diego to Philly and I was stuck right in front of the back restrooms. Everytime I was close to falling asleep someone would wake me up. Plus even though I would get an end seat I would always have someone standing right there in the aisle next to me. I swore I would never do back row seats again.

If anything airlines could structure their fees that those of us who want closer to the front pay a bit more and those who really don't give a *#%^ can pay a bit less and take the crappy seats in the back.

[liberal N proud]

4. Continental has had preferred seating for a while now

You have to pay more to sit in those seats, even if they are the only seats left on the plane.

For example if you book your flight and it is at the base coach price but you didn't select one of the non-preferred, back of the plane seats, and you get to check in and all that is left is the preferred seats, they will ding you for the difference in cost.

[pitohui]

9. yeah i thought they all did

any fees for seats never come up for me, because i'm a frequent flyer on delta, so i don't pay the fees anyway, but northwest used to show how much i was "saving" so i could see what other people were being charged for the seats i picked...

the fee would be a real help if you weren't a frequent flyer but you were on a long international trip where otherwise you would be in the back of the line at customs/immigration HOWEVER what delta did for me on my last long international trip where i didn't get upgraded, the flight attendant came to my seat with an "express pass" that let me jump the line anyway...hee hee hee i gave some evil looks from the people around me, oh well, i'm just better than you guys, sorry!!!

[tammywammy]

13. Yeah, AA has preferred seating as well. n/t

[SoCalDem]

36. Bulkhead seating is almost a must for long-legged people

and is very helpful for parents with small kids:)

Of course these days, I prefer my luxurious CAR.:)

Our oldest son is the one doing all the flying, and he hates it...but to get where he needs to go, he has to fly.. He's headed for Singapore on business and then to Hawaii for vacation & in the spring, Bali.. Gotta fly to get there:(

[liberal N proud]

37. I use a car for everything but business

And they will not pay for the preferred seats.

To the back of the bus. But there is one nice thing about being in the back, lots of room to put your carry on because you get on before many with the exception of those who payed extra to get on first. Why anyone would do that is beyond me.

[Blue Owl]

7. A new fee management fee

n/t

[no_hypocrisy]

8. Do you have to ask the airline rep or your travel agent NOT to book you in the front now?

[Name removed]

10. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Contrary1]

38. But, I thought you guys were in favor of less government control...

Can't make up your mind? Maybe Glenn can tell you what you're supposed to think.

[gratuitous]

15. The next fee: Seating inside or outside the cabin

You lot just hang on to the wing if you want to get to Pittsburgh! Or, pay an extra $25, we'll "give" you a seat inside the plane.

[NeedleCast]

17. This one doesn't bother me as much

Because there's actually a tangible benefit to it. Well, for some people anyway. When I was traveling frequently for work I'd reserve seats in the back of the plane specifically because they tend to be less full and have a great chance of having an empty seat next to you.

Anyone with a few brain cells to rub together who checked a bag should realize this is not going to speed up your exiting the aiport, it just speeds up exiting the plane. If you didn't check a bag, I can see the advantage. Unlike checked baggage fees that were introduced "because jet fuel prices are so high" that mysteriously didn't go away when jet fuel prices went back down, you're actually getting something out of this, so I have less issue with airlines charging a premium for it.

Several airlines have had this going on for awhile. I mostly flew United and they had premium seating of this type for several years. I never bought it because I find I have plenty of leg room but not enough shoulder room. I'd much rather have no one sitting next to me than four more inches of leg room.

[Gaedel]

22. Been a few years

When i was traveling frequently on business (1969-1994), my trips were usually two or three plane affairs with one or two transfers at intermediate airports. I always wanted to be in the front of the plane so that if a plane was a bit late, I had a shot at making the sprint to the connecting flight.

Ever since they put those damn overhead bins on planes, deplaning takes forever.

On the last leg of a flight, it was immaterial as to whether or not I was in the front or the back because the checked bags were the long pole in the tent.

[NeedleCast]

28. it's not that much different now

My travels took me from the biggest cities to the smallest po-dunk areas. It was often faster (sometimes MUCH faster) to travel to a major regional airport and then rent a car to get to the next city. Since most of my travel was government related and they had to pay us for the hours spent traveling, the smart agencies would tell us to get to our destination by the fastest means possible. The dumber agencies failed to appreciate this. That was always good for me. Nothing beat having the government book me from D.C. to Seattle by way of Dallas with a three hour lay over. That was a solid 10 hours of billing at 103 dollars/hour (for my contractor, not me). They saved 100 dollars on the plane ticket but lost 400 in billing.

The best ones were being told we couldn't take the train from D.C. to New York because it took three hours. Problem with that logic is that it takes three hours by plane these days when you have to arrive an hour early and you don't leave the airport for an hour after deplaning waiting on luggage.

[hugo_from_TN]

19. Would people fly an airline that had no fees?

No checked bag fees
No carry on fees
No fees to check-in with a live person
Free meals and drinks
Free headphones for music/movies

But - the price of the ticket was higher than the competitors (say $625 vs. $499 round trip).

Would you?

[NeedleCast]

23. That's exactly what they're couting on

It's funny that many of the "discount" airlines like Jet Blue and Southwest are making stacks of money while the "standard fair" airlines aren't.

Airlines offer almost no level of customer service because they've all come to a conclusion that they don't have to, and they're right. Your only choice for high speed travel is an airplane. I learned a lot about the industry having been a frequent traveler and having had a roommate who was a pilot for United.

I would pay more for an airline that offered:

Reasonably sized seats
Better than industry average on-time arrivals
Better tahn industry average luggagge arrival
Best frequent flyer value
No luggage fees of any kind (except for the old overweight/over-sized standards from the 90s).

I'm a big boy so I don't really care about in flight meals and drinks because I'm smart enough to eat before I get on a plane and buy a beverage after going through security. I'm also smart enough to pakc my own headphones for music/movies. I don't care if a person or a kiosk checks me in as long as it does so efficiently.

[Statistical]

30. That airline already exists it is called Southwest.

No checked bag fees - no fee on first 2 bags per person
No carry on fees - $0.00
No fees to check-in with a live person - $0.00
Free meals and drinks - $0.00 (still it is more like a snack, alcohol costs $5)
Free headphones for music/movies - $0.00 if you bring your own (can get a headphone to airline adapter at radioshack for $1.99).



Nice thing is the tickets AREN'T more expensive and they are pro-union.

[NeedleCast]

33. Just for correctness sake

I don't think Southwest offers meals on any flights.

I don't like their frequent flyer program either, otherwise they are my favorite airline.

[Uncle Joe]

27. Next up, $50 fee for use of oxygen mask.

Thanks for the thread, Parche

[Phoonzang]

29. I'd pay more to sit in a section where I don't have to hear screaming children.

Actually....I'd pay more to have all people with screaming children sit in a soundproof compartment.

[proteus_lives]

31. Yet another reason to avoid flying if possible.

[mnhtnbb]

34. I'd pay to buy the middle seat AND my aisle seat--it would be cheaper than first class

I refuse to fly coach for more than a 2 1/2 hour ride anymore all scrunched up with two other people.
If I have enough miles, I upgrade to first class, otherwise I route myself with connecting flights
to avoid anything longer than 2 1/2 hours with somebody slamming their elbow into me, sitting with the
seat in front of me in my lap and being kicked by some kid in the seat behind me.

AAAAGHGHGHGHGHG!!!! I HATE flying now.

[NeedleCast]

35. Book seats near the back of the plane and travel during non-peak times if possible

Save a lot of money that way too, generally.