American Airlines announced on August 2 that it will be offering its passengers a delivery service for up to ten bags if they are prepared to pay an additional fee.
The luggage will be taken to the passenger's hotel, home or final destination for an additional cost of $29.95 for one bag, $39.95 for two, and $49.95 for up to 10 bags. Suitcases will be delivered within the first four hours of the arrival of the flight to destinations within 40 miles (64 km) of the airport. The service is available for destinations up to 100 miles (160 km) of the airport, but prices rise by $1 per mile and delivery could take longer. The service will be available from Monday, August 6 seven days a week at more than 200 US airports and some international destinations too such as Aruba, Dublin, Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal, Toronto and Ottawa.
In recent years airlines have increased their offering of additional products and services for extra fees. These services range from seats with extra legroom to priority boarding or onboard wireless internet. According to a study released earlier this year by IdeaWorksCompany, a consultant on airline revenues and Amadeus, a travel technology firm based in Madrid, last year 50 of the biggest airlines in the world collected $22.6 billion from additional services and fees, a 5 percent increase over the previous year.
Earlier this week, US Airways announced the new "premium meal option" on international flights for a $19.99 fee. The menu includes either a vegetarian option with Portobello mushroom, tortellini and turtle cheesecake or a meat option that includes citrus-marinated chicken skewers, seasonal grilled vegetables, classic shrimp cocktail and crème brûlée cheesecake.
