WHY are airlines charging for checked luggage?

You should only be paying $30.00 for BOTH bags...each ticketed passenger is allowed 1-$15.00 bag ...you should go On-Line and pay baggage fee's tonight otherwise if you pay at the Airport in the morning it will be $25.00 for each 1st checked bag! I paid $60.00 for all 4 of our Bags on United! It pissed me off to have to pay for bags now! And if you are only taking 1 bag make SURE it isn't over 50 lbs.!!! They will charge you like CRAZY even if you are only over by one pound!!! Already Miss You! Aloha!

It all has to do with trying to stay competitive.

If they keep the ticket price the same they can appear to be cheap to fly e.g. fuel levy means that as fuel prices increase they just put this up but the ticket price stays low.

If you don't have any luggage then it is cheap, and so they can argue that you pay for what you need and don't pay for someone else.

They have always done it - e.g. economy had one allowance, first class another allowance for luggage. Excess over that was charged. Still the same just lower limits.

Always shop around and understand what you are getting for your ticket.

If is all about appearing customer friendly especially in tough economic conditions.

News flash. Southwest will be charging for luggage soon. http://www.southwest.com/travel_center/baggage.htm...

Just don't "take it all with you." Most destinations do have laundromats where you can wash clothes, dry cleaners, etc. Buy basic toiletries at your destination, instead of packing your own.

There's a ton of packing tips to be had (like Rick Steves' advice): http://www.ricksteves.com/plan/tips/packlight.htm

All of the airlines are struggling financially, and showing very little profit. Fuel accounts for a large part of a given flight. If airlines charged that it REALLY cost, you'd be paying well over $600 for your flight.

The baggage fees came about when our government allowed the fuel prices to reach ridiculous levels and the airlines had to find ways to cover the costs and still appear to have low air fares to remain competitive with the other airlines. You didn't say how old your son is, but if he is old enough to carry his own bag, each of you just bring 1 carry on and not check any luggage.

First, don't put all in one bag, or you will pay for overweight baggage (over 50 lbs) more than the $15 and $25.

Now, if you do not want to pay for the baggage, fly business and/or first class (no charges)

You have to look at this way: you flight does not cost $450 r/t, always add the baggage fees and you will have the true cost of your flights, and you can compare with all airlines flying from Hawaii to the Mainland, before purchasing your tickets.

Revenue, Full cost, the less bags checked in, the more fuel the plane saves. Simple economics. So pack light next time

For domestic flights, they charge $25 for the first checked bag and $35 for the second. That's each way. For international flights, you can check the first bag for free and a second checked bag is $30

It actually makes more sense than not charging. The cost of operating a flight depends hugely on the exact weight of passengers and baggage. Every bag costs the airline more money, with the exact cost depending on the exact weight of the bag. So charging for bags makes more sense than not charging for them.

If the airline wanted to be completely fair, it would charge mainly by weight, for both passengers and baggage.

Nearly all airlines are losing money and this is how there are trying to make it up. Yes it bugs me, that's why I always try to fly Southwest---no fees.

try another airline. only cheap airlines do such things. i never had to pay for checked in luggage.