Continental will charge $15 for your first checked bag
The airline industry's inexorable descent into nickle & dime fee hell took another big step today as Continental Airlines announced they will charge most customers $15 for their first checked bag as of October 7^th. OnePass^tm Elite members are exempt from the fee as are full-fare passengers and anyone traveling in First or Business Class.

Apparently they studied the fees charged by other major carriers and found that people grumbled but still paid up. So they jumped on the bandwagon figuring that they won't lose very many customers to Delta, the only major airline that does not (yet) impose a fee for most checked baggage.

It's not like we have a choice anyway, do we? All the silly restrictions the government has imposed on what we can put in our carry-on bags ensures that most people will be checking their luggage. We'll grumble and pay.

It would be nice though if they would use some of the revenue they garner from this new fee to speed up the baggage delivery process at Newark. You can grow old waiting for Continental to bring out your bags. Even after waiting patiently to get off the plane, stopping in the restroom, and walking at a leisurely pace down to baggage claim you are greeted by the sight of an empty baggage carousel going round and round. Sometimes it's another half hour or so until the klaxon goes off and the bags start trickling out.

Flying used to be fun. Now with each passing day there are new fees, more hassles, and less service. When I was a kid the futurists and science fiction guys promised us supersonic travel, flying cars, and personal jetpacks in the 21^st century. We're still waiting.

Posted at 16:33 by Chris   []   | | | Email | del.icio.us | Digg | Stumble It! | Reddit | Link