May 27, 2008

What if the scrapbook industry ran this way?

American Airlines is going to start charging $15 per checked bag in an effort to off-set high fuel costs. Did they get that idea from Kindergartners? Anyone with a clue can see that instantly, the overhead bins will fill to overflowing with carry ons. It's bad enough already, but now, people will attempt to carry EVERYTHING on and it will turn their flight crew into cops and delay flights as they have to start checking bags at the airplane door rather than the ticket counter. Great idea, AA. I'll never fly you again. Actually, I don't fly you anyway and this is just another reason not to.

Here's the kicker - they said they EXPECT other airlines to follow suit. They acted like it was the DUTY of every other airline to start charging for checked bags "or else this won't work". They said that when they do stuff like this if ONE airline chooses not to, then it doesn't work.

Welcome to AMERICA, American! I thought that this was a free country with a free enterprise system. If ONE airline chooses to NOT charge for bags and has to buy more planes to meet the demand, that's just how the free enterprise system rolls. It sounds a bit like price fixing to say that "if we do it, everyone else has to in order to support what we want".

Okay, so effective immediately, everyone raise the price of your card stock to two dollars per 12x12 sheet. I mean, if we ALL do that, where will consumers get their card stock? They can't boycott anyone because we're ALL doing it. They will be FORCED to pay $2 a sheet. But, if ONE STORE decides not to do it, then we're all in trouble. So, EVERYONE get out your pricing gun and mark those pieces up to $2 each so we can make more money? Okay??

Stupidity of the highest order.... As my husband says, "Stupidity should be a felony."

5 comments:

Creative Junkie said...

this baggage fee gets me so angry. Like it isn't expensive ENOUGH to fly nowadays?? And what people don't understand is that baggage fee is ONE WAY. So you have to double it for a round trip. It's mind blogging. I hate the airline industry. Remember when it used to be wonderful to fly?

Kim said...

Flying is not much different than taking a bus anymore. You just suffer the discomfort for a shorter amount of time.

I'm flying to Florida this week and I purposely avoided American Airlines. I can't imagine I'm the only one doing that.

Sandra Collins said...

can't believe that about the baggage fee - thanks for sharing

Sarah Coggins said...

I understand a fee for a 2nd or 3rd bag, but this idea of a fee for the 1st bag? What exactly is the ticket price covering? I'm grateful that at most I fly once a year and that is purely for personal travel. If all of the airlines decide to jump on this bandwagon, I'll just stay home and scrap! ;) In the meantime, I'm off to stock up before that $2 cardstock. LOL

Suzanne said...

I'd rather see a fee charged on carry-ons than checked bags, if they're gonna charge a fee at all. Or how about just plain enforcing the carry-on rules? 1 bag plus a personal bag should NOT equal the biggest possible carry-on and a huge backpack or briefcase or giant purse and then a shopping bag. Or if you're going to do that, at make everyone put one item under the seat in front of them.

I fly often (yea, Delta!) and it irritates me every time.