Flying is a major hassle. I don't think anyone is arguing that. However, by charging for checked bags more and more people are carrying their luggage on board. They stretch the limits as much as possible. This makes traveling even worse. It now takes forever to get on and off the plane with all the luggage. I'm tired of getting bashed with heavy bags in the overhead as people try to stuff them overhead or pry them back out of the overhead compartments.

If the airlines want to charge for luggage, I like charging for all of it. The space inside the aircraft is tight enough without all the additional luggage now being crammed in it.

I do agree that all extra fees should be posted right along with the cost of the flight. It seems only reasonable. Credit card companies have to do; banks now have to do it; make the airlines.

They should not charge for both checked and carry-on. If they charge for the overhead space, then your personal item (purse, backpack under the seat) and your first checked luggage should be free. In fact, both checked pieces should be free, but I know that's too much to ask for in today's world.

:/

myopinion13

The Airlines are taking "business" lessons from the Banking, Credit-Card, Cellular phone, and Cable industries on "Fine print". They can legally advertise the "lowest fare", but then charge you all sorts of add-on fees that jack the price up "at the Gate" when it is too late for you to walk away, because you've already arranged the rest of your trip. All Airline over-book, ie sell the same seat twice and hope someone doesn't show up, and if everyone does, just bump them until you get a clear set. That way, planes are always full.

This is how airline "deregulation" has "made Airline travel better and more affordable for everyone". Yeah right. Thank you Mr. Carter.

I can see flight attendants will soon be auctioning off 15 minute timeslots for use of the bathrooms. $2,000.00 for 10:15-10:30, do I hear $2,100.00? Since it seems that most Americans hate that the airlines like to charge a ton of extra fees, you would think that it would be easy to make them stop. All it would take is for all of us to stop dealing with any airline that charges excess fees and just start flying SouthWest because they have the best luggage policy of the US airlines, or fly some of the international carriers that don't charge any extras such as Korean Air. SouthWest does not charge baggage fees unless you go over the weight or size limit, or check in a third piece of luggage.

http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/baggage.html?int=GSUBNAV-AIR-BAGGAGE-INFO

Lets show our support by using SouthWest or else the days of no excessive fees will be gone forever!

I hear a lot of people touting Southwest. I have never flown them because either they don't fly to where I am going, or I have found their rates prohibitive - even though they fly out of my local airport, I have always been able to find other fares that beat theirs by a significiant amount.

These days when I book a flight I consider if I will have to check luggage and if so I figure the cost in before choosing an airline. Also, with a family of 5, instead of us each taking our own suitcase as we used to be able to, we will all pack into a couple of large, stuffed suitcases instead. The whole system has gotten ridiculous.

if I could fly Southwest, I would do it in a minute, since most of the places I fly TO so do they. unfortunately, tho, I fly out of Atlanta and they don't fly into Atlanta.

htdjtf- I believe it was Reagan that deregulated the airlines.

Steve Parks...I agree with you sort of...other then what fits safely under your seat I think carry fees should be attached, I also think first piece of checked luggage should be free. I recently flew from Spokane to Newark...and in my personal opinion it was all the idiots trying to cram their over sized carry on into the bins that make it take so damn long for the plane to prepare for take off and for disembarkng, not to mention they hold up the security lines by having an entire suitcase for them to sort through. Personally I always check my luggage..its just a heck of a lot easier.

I would agree with you about charging for carry-ons if the airlines could guarantee that the luggage I checked was free and would not be pilfered or lost. Why should I put valuables in checked luggage never to see them again? Down in Texas a series of storage lockers were opened to find stolen luggage packed in them. No, I agree that the airline industry has gotten out of hand (like the credit card, banking, and cable industries) and it is way past time to start regulating them again. Also, just post the total price of the ticket up front instead of hiding all of these fees in the small print. To the airline industry in general - keep nickel and diming your passengers and you will be the ones going out of business (and that day is coming fast!).

The answer to that is don't take anything with you that you aren't willing to lose.

I don't think a fee is a solution for morons trying to fit oversize bags into the bins, but actually enforcing their rules. If does not meet the established measurements, then charge them. Other than that we are allowing the way for airlines to charge for even using the bathroom in short flights.

This is particularly targeting business travelers, and will hurt this airlines business.

I book travel, both domestic and international, for my boss who only travels with a carry on exclusively. Why in the world whould I book his travel on an airline that is going to penalize him for this? Please. Business travelers are the bread and butter of any airline, and alienating them is a bad move.

Yep. We'll see how long this lasts.

Depends in which class does he travels, usually first class and business class are exempt.

Every time I travel those airline policies make me feel that I am an animal in the barn looking at the rancher's house. Not that I am jealous about first class or business class travelers because they worked hard to be able to accomplish that. But is the airline policies that discriminates.

As an example: After the safety instructions the fly attendant reminds every one in the coach class not to use the lavatories in front since those are exclusive for first class (which is ok, they paid extra) BUT they are allowed to come and use the coach lavatories..... making looong lines in the lavatories.

I think there is already an "arm rest fee" on some airlines, as they are considering many of their aisle seets as "premium" and charging extra from them, or saving them for those you are frequent flyers.

My boss frequents one airline that gives him the best seats and upgrades internationally, and only flies on other airlines when he has to. We need to become more old fashioned and get back to brand loyalty. The brand or airline that treats you the best is worth the extra few bucks, and the rest, no matter how inexpensive their seats "appear" to be, should be trumbed out of business.

Why do planes have overhead compartments if they are not to be used? Usually when one flies they are going somewhere that requires clothes to be worn, so just wait to see how long it will take to get checked luggage when everyone has to check their clothes. I guess, you must walk around naked where you go.

I do not have an objection of bringing a bag on..but so many take advantage of it and bring on luggage that should be checked ...only bags such as a computer bag, purse diaper bag that is all the larger it should be..then you can still stuff a change of clothes , toothbrush etc...in it. Have you ever had a bag dropped on you because the person trying to stuff it in the overhead and it was really to big and had to be pouned in place..I seen it everytime I fly...those bags need to be checked ...it has come down to USE SOME COMMON SENSE when getting on a plane for all our benfits!!! The overhead should be used for your jacket..not everything you are taking on your trip!!

Lets start charging a $50 per item charge, for any piece of clothing worn by passengers. I can see people wearing everything that they want to take with them to get around paying any fees.

jbf,

I agree that ppl abuse the carryon privilege, but airlines themselves are major contributors to this bad behavior. By charging to check bags and damaging, delaying, or losing checked bags, what other options do ppl have?? Air travel is already expensive enough w/ taxes, 911 fees, and such, ppl are looking for any way to save some money in the process.

As many have suggested, this wouldn't be quite so offensive and outrageous if they traded the checked bag fee for a carryon fee. Transparency is also an issue. I find these airlines to be downright dishonest when they tout low fares and then spring ridiculous fees on you that you have no choice but to pay. Perhaps I *will* start shipping my bags ahead by FedEx or UPS as others have done. Maybe FedEx and UPS could start a marketing campaign to this effect!

Money not an issue for you huh?

It's actually far cheaper to ship luggage than it is to check it, these days. I do it all the time, and it's well worth it, and FAR less hassle!

You can wear an astronauts "diaper" and void to your heart's content! Of course, your seat mates may need a nose plug! My solution is to fly first class and there are no extra fees except for the ticket! Actually ticket prices have declined to a level that airlines are hard pressed to survive! Deregulation has destroyed air travel!

They do that in one of SNL episode!

You are right! They may as well put their aircraft up for sale right now, for they will be history!

I'm with you. It's far more civilized in Europe- they treat people like humans, not cash machines. The planes should be bigger for what they charge, and for how much time we have to wait to go an hour away. the gov't shouldn't ever bail them out again- if they can't handle it, let somebody else can come along and run that business.

If they didn't lose our luggage or hire employees that ship our stuff to their crime rings, we wouldn't need to bring carryons.

If the bag fits in the overhead, then it should be called a carry-on. Fly American, they are checking every piece of luggage that is brought on. It takes a lot of time and their sizemometer is smaller than what fits in the bin. I usually like to bring on my luggage because airlines are always loosing luggage and what a hassle that is.

I agree Ali. It's time that airlines get control of the carry on luggage issue. They started charging for checked bags and now the carry on luggage is a real problem for travelers. It's absurd how long it takes to get off a plane anymore with all the luggage being pried out of overhead compartments and beneath seats. I pay to check my luggage so why should I have to wait for all the others to pry out their huge bags? Maybe they should just make everyone with luggage wait till the rest of us have de-boarded. :)

lol you people are so stupid. I have lost baggage and prefer to carry on my bag . and now that alot of airlines are charging extra for a checked bag your dam right i'm going to try to fit all i need into one large carry on bag. Its not us but the airlines that are forcing this. I just flew to Hawaii with many transfers and flights and i can tell you its not that big of a deal waiting a few mins to deplane. come on people get real here. you all sound like spoiled brats. boo hooo i have to wait a few min to get off. I'm so tired of so many people in the U.S. thinking about only themselves. very self centered imo. we could always go to back to the horse and buggy .. take 2 months to get across the U.S .. lol yeah . it might teach you all a lession in tolerance.

I have traveled a lot in my life in Europe and the states....only one time have I had a piece of luggage lost and it was delivered the next day...and yes...it annoys the crap out of me that I have to wait for morons with oversized suitcases not carry-ons while they pry hem out of the overhead...and god forbid should you clobber someone with that large suitcase...I have seen this happen recently..that said...I do believe the first checked bag should be included in the ticket price.

You are right on in your observations!!!!

Entitlement is the American way! :)

what about stupid airlines that do not enforce their carry on luggage limits?.. If an smart ass try to get away with carrying more than allowed then he/she should be fine... not everyone else.

They did, right in your back.

Spirit may have stuck the dagger into their own company!

I'm SO w/ you on this, Eagle!! The concept of quality customer service seems to be out the window in the airline industry (and too many others to name here). Greed rules the day, and I'm sick of it.

I would also prefer a train these days. Look at the northeast corridor with the Acela Express and other trains. These trains are doing very well and show how travel can (nearly) be done right. High speed regional rail would be the way to go and leave the long distance hauls to the airlines. Hell, with high speed rail properly implemented I would even on occassion take the extra time for a long distance trip on the rails, assuming they also didn't start to gouge the public.

Time to jump on the bandwagon for high-speed rail now so that it might have a chance of beginning operations before we die (waiting on the tarmac maybe?). Yes, there will be problems in its completion and it will cost plenty but the airlines have reached the intolerable level and more concrete ribbons layed over the landscape is about the worst environmental thing that can be done. Incidentally, I am not a tree hugger, it just makes sense. Just because it is difficult to do does not mean we should stick are heads in the sand. We went to the moon for crying out loud and look at the number of spin-offs that produced for us.

Wasn't the lack of luggage one of the tools they used to use to profile and identify terrorists?

"Hold YOU up" ?? Ahhhh, poor thing!!! Your time THAT important that a few minutes would ruin your life? Get real!

Mark..it is pain waiting for morons to pry their oversized suitcase (not carry on) out of the overhead...are you to lazy to check you bag and rerieve it from baggage claim?

Agree!!!!!

I agree also. But asking for all of one's stuff to fit under the seat is a bit ridiculous. If you travel in the winter, your coat itself will fill up that small area. Plus, not all seats have under-the-seat storage, so what are those folks supposed to do?