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19 Aug, 2013

Coming soon: fees for carry-on luggage – Sydney Morning Herald

First, airlines started charging for checked luggage that used to be included in the ticket price. That alone is an entire new industry created in the past decade that now consumes around $30 billion worldwide in travellers’ cash.

The consequence weren’t so much unforeseen as “What the hell! We’ll do it anyway”. Being forced to pay for checked luggage prompted travellers to start bringing huge carry bags onboard that barely fit in the overhead lockers, but avoid the check-in charge.

Boarding and disembarking from aeroplanes is now chaotic. Airlines like Jetstar have been forced to provide even more overhead bin space and to reinforce existing lockers to withstand the daily wear-and-tear of use by oversized bags.

And what is the industry’s reaction? Well, let’s start charging for the oversized bags that travellers have been forced to bring onboard by the new fees for checked luggage.

via Coming soon: fees for carry-on luggage.