An observation on checked bag fees
United is now charging a $15 fee for the FIRST checked bag on domestic flights. I’ve heard other airlines are doing the same.
Travelers are avoiding the fee by bringing wheelie suitcases as carry-ons. Of course, there’s isn’t enough space in the overhead compartments to accommodate carry-ons for all, or even most, of the passengers. As a result, people are having to check their wheelie bags at the gate (and presumably they’re not paying the fee at this point).
So it takes more time to load the plane as people fight over limited space, more time to load the plane because people have to check their bags at the last minute, and more time to unload the plane because more people are getting things down from the compartments.
Wouldn’t it save everyone a lot of hastle, and wouldn’t we all get where we’re going sooner, if they would do away with these stupid fees?
