Passengers will need to beware American’s newest employees: The Luggage Police. Anticipating resistance to the surcharge, American has wisely laid on extra bodies. These employees are, essentially, enforcers.

Their task will be to monitor strategic locations (security lines, for instance) to see that passengers aren’t toting more than their share of Louis Vuitton. Customers with too many items or bags too large to bring on board “will be assisted in checking their luggage,” the airline said.

This idea raises questions. For instance, how will American’s baggage employees “assist” passengers, exactly? (We can see it now: “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you to come with me …”)

The story goes on to reveal that those forced to gate check will get to pay the fee by swiping a credit card! I wondered how they were going to get the money at the last minute. Surely this won’t cause any delays. We’ve heard of air rage. Get ready for gate rage.

Read more about this issue at airfarewatchdog.com’s blog. An excerpt:

American spokesman Tim Smith is confident that that those required to pay the fee won’t have a prayer of getting around it.

     Unless, of course, you manage to sneak your contraband roller board past “curbside check-in, ticket counter check-in, self-serve kiosk check-in, our people stationed before security, the TSA checkpoint itself….without anyone noticing,” he says.