The 24 percent increase from 2009 shows how the airlines are increasingly reliant on charging for once-free services to make money.
This isn’t a surprise to anyone. Personally, I haven’t paid for a checked bag in 2 years because this sort of thing doesn’t really affect frequent travelers as most of us have AMEX or Visa cards that waive checked bag fees and many more of us fly enough that we just don’t have to pay anymore. Finally, a lot of smart travelers just go the carry-on route (rolling bag + backpack). I don’t do this because I’m never in a huge hurry to get out of the airport and hate being one of those people that clog up the overhead bin. Any flight attendants I’ve spoken to complain loudly about the amount of carry on bags and how much of a hassle it is finding space. I feel their pain but their employers brought this on.
Then again, as long as fuel prices go up, this will continue to be an issue. Things will only get more expensive.
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