Bizarre, Society

Spirit Airlines Will Charge $100 To Carry On A Bag While Other Airlines Increase Fee For Checked Bags To $75

I was recently interviewed by The New York Times over my pet peeve regarding travel fees imposed by airlines and hotels. Now, Spirit Airlines has announced that it will charge a $100 fee for a carry-on bag. Conversely, other airlines are increasing their charges for checked bags which has generated billions in new revenues. There will be a $70 checked bag fee on international flights at American for some flight, for example. At one time, airlines blamed the new fees on fuel costs but that rationale fell away as the fees continued regardless of fuel costs.


Notably, we discussed these fees in my torts class in discussing the case of Andrews v. United Airlines dealing with the question of negligence by airlines in the design of overhead bins. This case occurred before airlines started charging fees that resulted in many people taking cases on the plane — resulting in delay and an increase in the number of injuries.

As I mentioned to the Times, the strategy is clearly to drop the expectations of the new generation of travelers who do not remember that bags were once considered a basic element of traveling and covered in a ticket. Allegiant Air announced this month that it will be charging up to $35 for bags. Delta will charge $75 for checking a second bag.

JetBlue, which recently shrank legroom in a disappointing reversal, will also start to impose a fee of $40 for a second bag though to it credit the airline does not charge for the first bag.

The fleecing of travelers is now out of control. With the bag fees, boarding has become a contest that makes the Roman games look tame in comparison, People crush each others bags and coats in trying to wedge huge bags into bins. Passengers who check their bags, like me, are now told that they must not use the bins for their jackets or computer bags to make room for bigger bags. You are asked to stuff these bags at your feet while the airlines are continuing to reduce the leg room in standard seats. This leaves you virtually entrapped with no ability to open a lap top or change position if you are average height for a male. After denying you any room, the airline then offers to sell you different seats with varying degrees of space: what I called the “misery index” menu now common on U.S. domestic airlines.

I am only waiting for the baggage fee charges to become uniform so that you are charged on the same airline for carrying one a bag or for checking a bag. The message is clear: put on multiple layers of clothes and go without luggage.

Source: USA Today

122 thoughts on “Spirit Airlines Will Charge $100 To Carry On A Bag While Other Airlines Increase Fee For Checked Bags To $75”

  1. OS,

    We could name the electronics maintenance hanger** after you. Bet you can’t do snap rolls in a 52.

    **I did that one too. 750KVA full load.

  2. Malisha,

    Did they have diamonds in their seams like all such immigrants, I mean especially jews from the east. Those who left Russia before ’17 and Germany before ’33. Such tales that are spread.

    The tsarista had them in her clothes. Everybody did. Mine had lice I think.

  3. Nick S.,

    I’m taking two medicines and they help a lot.
    One relaxes it and the other shrinks it.

  4. OS,

    That was beautiful. I did the electrics of the sewage treatment plant at Ban U tapao B-52 base south of Bangkok. It is still one today, as Google Maps covers it in pink.

    We can name it after Ronnie.

  5. idealist707 1, October 2, 2012 at 2:45 pm

    “Blouise
    1, October 2, 2012 at 12:48 pm
    A private car and James West would be very nice indeed”

    That you aren’t ashamed. The footballer or the author.journalist. Or just any man will do? That is the correct womanly attitude.
    ==========================================
    Oh, my goodness. At least he didn’t shot by a firing squad. Walk the plank, good buddy.

  6. I am in agreement 100% with Capt. Erb. I was outraged when they named Washington National Airport after the president who almost singlehandedly destroyed much that was good about both general aviation as well as commercial aviation.

    I still remember the dangerous conditions created by scab ATC people. On one occasion I was making an approach into a controlled airfield and heard the tower vector a departing aircraft on a 180 degree reciprocal of my course and at my altitude. I started looking and could not find him until it was almost too late. It was a Cessna 172 and I saw him just in time to roll inverted, do a split-S and dive away as he whizzed past me with only a few feet of separation. Feet, not yards.

    If they wanted to name something at the airport after effing Ronnie Raygun, it should have been the waste treatment facility. In fact, naming anything related to aviation after him is a heresy.

    While we are at it, I think the FBI building ought to be renamed. Take the name of that old closeted self-loathing gay off it and name it after MLK, Jr. Now that would be justice, IMHO.

  7. “Dress in many layers of clothing” — that’s how my grandparents came into Ellis Island from Eastern Europe, steerage! Wow, full circle!

  9. NIck S.,

    I thought you had the patent on that.

    I don’t piss on my feet and whistle at the same time, as you do. 🙂

  10. “Blouise
    1, October 2, 2012 at 12:48 pm
    A private car and James West would be very nice indeed”

    That you aren’t ashamed. The footballer or the author.journalist. Or just any man will do? That is the correct womanly attitude.

  11. Stimulated by MikeS return (it isn’t your fault 😉 )

    I must again point to my earlier comment on government monopolies. Here, the government power company, the largest of a tripoly, routinely since at least 15 years gouges its “home” clients. The “profits” are returned finally to the government budget like taxes do. The government then decides whether it wants to maintain the networks etc.

    The same for the trains, although now the network is a separate government controlled company and the socialist train compete with private—-under unfair conditions.
    So much for socialistic paradises.

    But technically there is no denying in the 300 mile to 400 mile range, it is more comfortable, agreeable and fully as fast, citycenter to the other one.

  13. “Swarthmore mom
    1, October 2, 2012 at 11:36 am
    Nick, Some republicans want to contract the running of the Amtrak trains to private operators. It is a convenient was to bust unions.”

    Folks, listen, listen, there faintly and far off. Mens voices singing. Who` Oh, it’s the neo-cons and they are singing “their” song.

    “Every man a serf…..”

  14. Nick S,

    nick spinelli
    1, October 2, 2012 at 10:10 am
    What is the lefts fascination w/ choo choo’s.”

    And what kinda adult argument is that? The discussion value? “Hey, you lefties, you are children who want to play with toys. We “men” don’t have time for trains and toys.” ETC ETC

    So who is the child. And change my diapers I said.

  15. NickS,

    I retract my apology. I got your remark mixed up with a snark I gave on the thread with Ted.

    I do think it was childish. Now change my diaper, I am wet.

  16. Rafflaw,

    “air bandits”. It is all banditry nowadays as I have already written. When did you get a deal instead of a swindle last? Not from your bank, not from your insurance company, etc etc.

  17. You’re right Nick S on my accusátion of childish arguments and ad hominems. The first you lose sight of is the mote in your own eye.

    My apologies.

    But then in your previous putdown of the train people, you were stacking the deck again I feel. Straw men and all that. Now what kind of ad hominem is that?

  18. Wild Wild West. It’s a fantasy. Try it for yourself.

    Some people think it really exists. It doesn’t.

  20. Poor Nick–having to debate with people who like traveling by train and the USPS! It’s a tough job trying to enlighten us.

    😉

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