The only real stat (if you could find it) that supports either claim would be the average change in air fare per ticket class per passenger per route. That way your only really looking at the change in air fares for a given route and it would rule out schedule reductions reducing the number of lower cost fare seats between two destinations.

Annecdotal evidence from our local airport (CVG) suggests that airfares have not decreased by $25 to $30 per passenger. They did not drop after the lastest increases.

NOT TRUE!!!

Transport Association of America said total passenger revenue for the major U.S. carriers fell 18% in 2009 versus the year before. It was the largest drop on record, exceeding the 14% decline in 2001.
The revenue decline was due to a 6% drop in passenger volume, and a 13% plunge in the average price paid to fly one mile, the ATA said.

Therein lies the question. Apparently airline employees are RUDE, but, never the customer. Sooo, if a customer doesnt LIKE THE ANSWER by an AIRLINE EMPLOYEE, it makes it RUDE. Nor do customers ever lie.
Just because YOU didnt like the answer, doesnt make it RUDE.

If that’s the case then they are giving frequent fliers a discount off the cost of tickets because they aren’t paying the fees.

I’ve been saying since airlines instituted baggage fees (and I’ve written it here) that passengers will accept fees, and actually gladly pay a fee, if there are guarantees for the service, Airlines just don’t get it or don’t care, even though they are making billions … yes, billions … off checked baggage fees. They do care about their frequent fliers though that can check bags for free. With that in mind, American Airlines announced this week their Priority Baggage Delivery service for their frequent fliers and First/Business Class passengers where they promise to deliver their checked baggage to the carousel first, before those people that are paying foor the service. You might argue that frequent fliers are paying for the service because they spend more money than non-frequent fliers, but that just is not necessarily the case. Actually I think that AA may have difficulty living up to that promise and it could back fire on them. I would argue that someone who checks their bags early with plenty of time before flight should get their bags back first on the carousel.

I really haven’t had any problems with checked baggage on United except for one trip last year to London and they were able to get the bag to me on the same day.

I guess I’m one of the lucky ones but I think the reduced number of checked bags overall is helping performance and the ten or fifteen minutes of waiting usually isn’t that bad.

All: Once again, multiple issues. Carry on with your discussion of what should be included with baggage fees. But think about this. As Janice said, even minor elites don’t pay anything. Others do. So are you then saying that those who pay should get extras like insurance but the elites don’t because they are not paying anything?

But the other thread here is about wonderfully nice customers and always in-the-wrong rude agents. Does it *ever* happen? Sure. But in my experience, it is usually the rude customer that elicits a rude response in return. Now, perhaps that still isn’t appropriate, but just for ONE moment, put yourselves in the position of someone who is dealing with rude and annoyed people constantly. Could you do that and be completely sweet? Could anyone? I doubt it. So go ahead Matthew in NYC and attempt to get someone fired if that will make you feel better. I’m sure you are always a lovely, pleasant person to others.

But the reality that happened here? Some RAMP agent dumped the bags onto the wrong carousel without telling anyone, but go ahead and take it out on the person at the counter. That’s your right as an American.