American Airlines used to offer curbside check-in. It still exists at some airports, but it now costs a separate fee for each bag. They got rid of the sky caps who used to do the job, and now it’s a low wage separate entity providing the service at most airports where it remains available.
@AmericanAir should be ashamed to add this charge. This is crushing the income of curbside skycaps as many passengers now take their bags inside and check for free. Those who do check curbside reduce their tips because they're paying the $4 fee. Tip your skycap! pic.twitter.com/uHXRFZtZW7
— larryirving (@larry_irving) October 7, 2024
American says ‘don’t complain about the fee, we’re not the ones collecting it’ but that’s pretty misleading.
This service is offered by a third-party vendor, and isn't collected by us. Thanks for your feedback.
— americanair (@AmericanAir) October 7, 2024
- American is the one that decided there should be a fee. They used to provide it without a fee themselves.
- Instead, this turns a cost center into a revenue generator.
- In fact, American does take a revenue share out of these fees.
Bags, Inc. provides curbside check-in in places like Atlanta; Austin; Boston; Dallas – Fort Worth; Denver; Fort Lauderdale; Las Vegas; Kansas City; Orlando; Raleigh; Richmond; San Antonio; San Diego; Salt Lake City; San Francisco; Seattle and at Washington National.
For historical and contractual reasons, Miami continues to offer curbside check-in, where the service has been provided by American’s wholly-owned regional carrier Envoy (rather than by American Airlines itself), and in Maui where it doesn’t cost the airline anything to provide. I believe Chicago O’Hare still has American Airlines Skycaps (and does not charge passengers a fee).
One of the early cuts that US Airways management made after taking over American was eliminating curbside check-in across 38 airports. There was a lot of pushback against this. Curbside check-in was suspended entirely at most airports as a cost-saving measure in July 2020 before moving to the outsourced model the next year.
Ironically about the only time I’ve ever needed curbside check-in was when US Airways management botched the reservation system integration with America West, online and kiosk check-in was down, and legacy US Airways agents didn’t know how to use the America West system. People working outside for tips sure did – and $5 got me a boarding pass rather than a 45 minute wait in the first class check-in line.
And need I mention that the fee started out as $3? So it’s even generally gone up.
Never really understood this service as anything except a cost (traditionally a tip) for a shorter line and maybe someone who would accept your bag if you were past the check-in cut off.
Better to just have more employees working inside.
Not sure why this is surprising to you. They are pushing more and more self service options, so eliminating what is essentially a check-in desk at the curb makes sense with that plan.
I had forgotten that curbside check-in was a thing. I think it only existed in the USA.
I’ve only used this once at LGA when flying DL. I actually didn’t realize this was separate from DL until I got my boarding pass, I believe. I think the giveaway was that I got a generic paper boarding pass without DL logo on it, otherwise, I would have been none the wiser
ORD charges $4 per bag now.
At MIA the other day, spent 20 minutes with a SkyCap trying to check-in me, my wife, and our baby daughter for an international flight. He wasn’t able to manage, but offered to bring them to the Flagship check-in whilst I returned the rental car that was still at the curb.
Apparently, $20 tip wasn’t enough, as he scoffed at it, rolled his eyes, and then after I drove away, he proceeded to drop them and our bags at the normal check-in line.
Not very competent, super rude, expensive, and no possible recourse for redress.
The whole system is scamy.
>In fact, American does take a revenue share out of these fees.
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In olden times the SkyCaps at DCA met my arriving taxi. Every weekend I had a bicycle. They would walk me upfront to the Delta counter and get a free box. Never was I charged extra for the bike. I was so grateful for this coordinating service and comradery. Things that are missed and why tipping was once so useful.