First, United Airlines started charging $25 for a second checked bag, a policy all other major airlines have matched since.
Now, American Airlines wants to charge $15 for the FIRST checked bag as well.
Given that stringent security measures have made it practically impossible to travel with a carry-on bag alone (even makeup must be checked), this is going too far.
This is another way the needless Iraq War is destroying the American way of life; the resulting high oil prices are clobbering the airlines, saddling passengers with these ridiculous fees, and getting employees laid off. And it bears remembering that airlines (and other transportation carriers) are national security assets, and any government policy that results in weaker (or even worse, unsafe) airlines and disgruntled airline employees is a bad one.
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