It's not news the airlines are charging for checked bags. But I just read the following in an Associated Press article: "Minneapolis airlines expert Terry Trippler said the new travel fees are here to stay. If anything, Trippler said, airlines probably will look to include more fees like charges for carry-ons and for bringing sodas on board."
How would that work, I wonder? I assume we'll be asked to pay fees for carry-on bags at the departure gate. If so, wouldn't that slow the boarding or departure process? Will we really have to pay extra to bring on a bag of fast-food purchased in the airport--food we purchase, by the way, because the airline food is usually non-existent or inedible?
Or will we be expected to show our carry-ons at the airline ticket counter? This would defeat the purpose of only traveling with carry-ons in order to avoid checking in at the ticket counter.
Whatever. Airlines are hurting and they've got to spread the pain to survive. I get it. But at some point, the inefficiencies introduced by all these micro fees could slow the airlines down (if they haven't done so already). Any slowdown in operations costs the airlines money, and they're going to pass on their losses to us wherever possible. So why not just raise fares (yet again) and be done with it, instead of charging me to bring on board a laptop or a Chic-Fil-A sandwich?
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