Think the blogs had something to do with it?
"Airline halts fee, lifts ban on tips; American in accord with Logan skycaps" by Jonathan Saltzman, Globe Staff | May 30, 2008
American Airlines, bowing to pressure yesterday from some of its lowest-paid workers, agreed to drop a $2-per-bag fee for curbside check-in service at airports throughout the country and to lift a ban on tips for skycaps at Logan International Airport.
In exchange, American skycaps at Logan agreed to drop a federal claim that accused the airline of imposing the tips ban May 1 in retaliation for the skycaps' recent victory in a lawsuit against the world's largest airline.
Last month a jury in US District Court in Boston awarded a group of nine current and former skycaps about $325,000 for tips they lost when the airline implemented the curbside baggage fee in September 2005.
Yesterday's agreement, which lawyers for both sides hastily reached in the corridor of the federal courthouse to avoid a court hearing on the tips ban, buoyed several skycaps who said their income has plunged because of the $2 baggage fee and the prohibition on gratuities.
"I feel vindicated," said Don DiFiore, an American skycap at Logan since 1983. "We've gotten rid of the $2-a-bag charge, and we're going to have some language on the sign [at the curb] saying tipping is allowed now."
But other skycaps in Boston who have taken on their employer said American made the concessions, which take effect by June 15, after doing some simple math that showed it could more than offset the loss of the $2 with another new charge.
Oh. That kind of takes some of the "good" feeling I had out.
:-(
American, struggling to make money amid record-high fuel prices, announced last week that on June 15 it will start charging many customers traveling in domestic coach class $15 to check in a piece of luggage, either inside the terminal or at the curb. The first-bag fee follows American's recent decision to join the industry trend of charging anyone who is not among the most loyal or lucrative customers $25 to check a second piece of luggage.
If that doesn't scream how much this society caters to the wealthy, I don't know what will.
Yup, they get catered to while I get an anal probe -- and then have to PAY FOR IT!!!
Would you pay a rapist for raping you, America?
Please DON'T FLY ANYMORE until these OUTRAGES STOP!!!!
"They're making seven times as much" with the new $15 fee than the airline did with the $2 fee, said Tony Pasuy, another longtime American skycap. "Why do they need to nickel and dime the passengers when they're making seven times as much?"
Greed?
.... The ban infuriated many skycaps and irritated several passengers who told the Globe that they resented the airline barring them from giving tips.
Yes!! LET THEM KNOW HOW YOU FEEL!!!!
They'll buckle if it hits them in the wallet!!!!
