Not a dime from me while the TSA mouthbreathers are in control....
If you’re traveling light you can check your bag at the gate and avoid any baggage fees.
And if the money were buried in higher airfares instead of being explicitly based on activities?
Good for the airlines!
If passengers don't like it...don't fly.
Oh, wait...flying is a right, right?
There is one cost cutting idea that has been proposed many times, but the airlines just can’t make it happen. A few companies have been created for it, but just didn’t have the backing to survive.
The idea is that passenger transport and luggage cargo have very different shipping needs, and combining the two, as is done today, is both expensive and inefficient. So why not put them on two different aircraft? That way, cargo would only fly when the plane was full, and passenger transport would be a lot cheaper.
The way it would work in practice is for luggage to be initially shipped out before the passenger leaves. To start with, a van shows up at their home or destination before the trip, takes the luggage to the departure airport, where it is shipped. Then, at the destination airport, it is picked up by another van and taken to the passenger’s eventual destination.
Then the passenger flies light on a plane with just carry on luggage, using a lot less fuel than if it was also carrying cargo. Or if it carried cargo as well, it would be higher valued cargo, not low value luggage.
So the passenger airline either saves money or makes more money. Passengers don’t have to wrestle with luggage, pay less for passage, and transportation security is also much better.
They do pay a separate fee for their luggage, though. But it is a low cargo rate, not expensive luggage rate.
One reason I believe there is an opening for a third-party Populist rabble-rouser in next year’s election.
You can easily imagine someone running on a platform of “I’m gonna stop those Grrrrreeedy Bastards from NICKEL AND DIMING the American People!”
Airlines - nickel and diming with fees
Banks - nickel and diming with fees
Credit Card Companies - nickel and diming with fees
Cell Phone Carriers - nickel and diming with fees
Cable TV and ISP Companies - nickel and diming with fees
Of course Federal, State and Local Governments are the biggest offenders at Nickel and Diming us. But I suspect this approach will gain a great deal of traction for somebody.
Or is it they don't want us flying but rather have us buy one of their new gas efficinet Government Motors car to do your traveling.