Chaska Herald - Airlines start charging for bags - Comments

And what happens when the

Ruth Anne Maddox — Thu, 22 May 2008 15:54:20 -0500

And what happens when the bags people bring don't fit into the overheads or there's no space left? Do they then have to pay to have it checked at the gate?

And how do we bring shampoo or other liquids that cannot be in carry-on bags? Not everyone has adjusted to the 3-ounce rule yet and people will not be happy to leave their toiletries behind.

I can see this backfiring by

Mollee Francisco — Thu, 22 May 2008 10:32:05 -0500

I can see this backfiring by forcing people to drag their luggage on to the plane and clog up the overhead compartments.

That's when I'll get irritated - when I have to wait for the doofus in front of me to wedge his suitcase into the compartment only to find that there's no room for anyone else's things. Great.

(Mollee Francisco is a staff writer for the Chaska Herald. She can be reached at mfrancisco@swpub.com.)

Airlines start charging for bags

Mollee Francisco — Thu, 22 May 2008 10:27:32 -0500

Plan to start traveling light if you're taking to the air anytime in the future.

American Airlines announced this week that it would start charging $15 for the first checked bag. Airlines have been charging for second checked bags for awhile now, but American is the first to start charging for any checked bags.

The charges come as airlines are trying to get "creative" with recouping dollars for the rising costs of fuel. Employee cuts are also expected.