I fly to often with work. So I will have to pay depending on the airline. The sad thing is that I will have to pass these costs on to my customers. With recreational flights I will probably also have to since $15 is still cheaper than having to drive 800 miles or more. Which if I drove would cost me over $155 dollars in gas not to mention the time.

Airline prices are already insanely deflated and subsidized. $15 to check a bag is chump-change next to the cost of the high-octane jet fuel they have to fill a plane with. Frankly, if the $15 dollars went to- I don't know- actually researching an alternative to air travel that uses less fuel (blimps anyone?) I would be more than happy to donate it.

Frankly, the $15 you don't pay to check your bag has to get paid by someone. The mere fact that the industry is still considered profitable is proof that someone other than the airline companies are footing the bill. Most likely, its the federal government, which means we end up paying for it anyway.

I haven't flown in so long that I have forgotten what the "norm" is. So, if I were to travel by air, and if the airline were to charge me to check my bag ... I suppose I'd pony up the dough and get on with it.

My best guess is that all of the airlines are struggling under the weight of increased fuel costs, and are doing the best they can to maintain operations and continue to earn a profit. This surcharge-on-luggage is merely an effort to charge more to make up for the increased cost of jet fuel.

It takes energy to travel. Even if you were to walk from place to place, you'd have to eat (ingest energy) in order to make the trip. And guess what, it also costs more to eat today - due in part to the increased cost of oil.

What we could really use - is a leader with vision, and a national goal (similar to our commitment to put a man on the moon) to develop and put into use a source of energy other than fossil fuels. I have no doubt that, if we put our collective minds to it, the United States of America could say "good-bye" to our dependence on oil.

Only $15? Delta charges $25. Frankly, with oil prices so high, its a reasonable expense, albeit, surprising and annoying.

Charging for luggage is one way for the airline to recover fuel price increases. To be fair, however, they ought to weigh PASSENGERS and luggage, and charge everyone the same rate per pound! Otherwise, I'm going to wear a week's worth of clothes onto the plane. :-)

I'd pay to minimize the hassle going through security. It's bad enough with a laptop.

No wonder Obama is doing so well selling us all on becoming a welfare state. We all want more pay, free health insurance, tax cuts, but we don't want to pay for the services we use. We get what we deserve, not what we want. If YOU are upset about having to pay more for gas, what is so hard to understand about an airline having to charge more when gas prices go up? Whether they should raise prices instead of a bag charge is moot to me. Either way it costs me $15, right?

Not much choice for most travel. But if I'm going somewhere for more than two weeks, I'd definitely ship all my stuff.

In the age of controlled toiletries on checked baggage, one piece of luggage is become mandatory for even the shortest flight. I additionally object to the one carry on rule. It should be my computer bag plus one carry on.

I will probably just start carrying on as much as I can. Of course, if I'm traveling with my golf clubs I will have to check those going forward and fork up the extra $15, but I will definitely not be happy about it

Well this is a hard one because I wouldn't want to pay $15 dollars to have a bag checked yet at the same time how much are they going to raise the ticket prices to compensate for the gas hike? So it is kinda six of one half a dozen another.

We shouldn't have to pay to check in luggage. It should be complimentary with the flight, because we already decided to fly with that airline and not a different one.

Why are they charging anyways ? is this some kind of scandal to suck more money out of us ?

I'm not "willing" to pay for a service that's always been free. However, if they all follow suit I may be forced to pay.

Good thing I try and pack it all carry-on anyway.

Just one more reason to not fly AA.

It's like they assume that you don't need to bring clothing with you. This is the most horrendous abuse of consumers ever. However, i do not think the government needs to do anything about it, consumers won't fly American or will bring more carry on luggage. Or if i really gotta go somewhere maybe I'll ride the rails because this is stupid.

They should pay me! I pay a ton to fly, then wait an hour to get my stuff, which isn't always there...

Why charge for luggage?

I would rather the airlines figure out how much they need to charge to make a profit and price the tickets accordingly. I am really getting sick and tired of being nickel and dimed. From a customer service perspective the $15/bag thing sucks! Just imagine a family of 6 about to leave for vacation and then they go to checkin they have to pay $90 cash (assuming 1 bag per, which is conservative!).

I don't think "willing" is the correct word. I'm not willing to pay $4 a gallon for gas to drive to work .... but if I don't drive to work I won't have $4 to buy a gallon of gas. I'm not willing to pay more for anything ... whether I have a choice is an entirely different matter.

I don't WANT to pay $15 to check a bag ... typically when I fly on business it's all carry on ... but when I vacation with my family that's $60 !! The cost of a good dinner!

It all needs to be considered in the final cost. If you have the flexibility, shop around compare costs, consider ALL extra charges and then book your flight. It's all economics ....

I don't fly, but it seems like they're turning into banks: a fee for every single thing they can get away with. If the flight costs base price + add ons that aren't really add ons, why not just be honest and charge the real price?

There is something fundamentally dishonest in doing this, really. It shows a definite, very thinly disguised contempt for their customers.

No way Jose. And United just upped the price of checking a second bag to $50!

Why would I pay for some service that the airline should supply for free? Why do the airlines need more money anyways? Don't they already make a ton by charging people for food and stuff?

Heck no. It's absurd! The cost to fly is absurd enough. Damn. I think I should be able to wear as many of my clothes as possible (as if it's -50 degrees outside), just to be able to take one carry on and more clothes. hehe.

Ermm... No, if the luggage is empty... ................................................................haha...