Infuriating New Airline Baggage fees Are Only Part of the Problem

Charlotte, NC—Along with all the grief associated with today’s air travel, the airlines are not helping themselves into profitability. They are adding more reasons to avoid flying altogether.

I arrived at the airport only to learn from Delta Airlines that I must fork over an additional $25.00 fee for my 25” roll-away bag each way. It was not the money that angered me but the nickel-dime low brow treatment.

I forked over the additional payment only to see panicked passengers who have avoided the charges overfilling the overhead storage bins. Smart travelers were trying to find clever ways to beat the extra charges. Needless to say the overhead bins get stuffed full before nearly half of the passengers are let on to the plane.

Loading the plane took a significant longer time and the flight attendants began confiscating small bags of passenger’s valuables that because of a lack of space in the overloaded bins. The confiscated bags included laptops and cameras that were now in for a rough ride and also being offered up as theft targets. This clearly is needless additional trauma for passengers.

I’d much prefer the airlines simply left the baggage matters to the status quo and raised the prices accordingly. Most people try to avoid waiting for checked baggage anyway.

In the long run this new baggage scheme should and will cost the airlines even more paying customers. What a dumb idea.