Fifteen Bucks for a Checked Bag? What Next?

American Airlines seems have received a lot of flak for their announced policy of
charging fifteen dollars for a passenger’s first checked bag. They tried to explain it
by citing the increased cost of fuel. If they just increased the price of a ticket they
might have gotten less grief.

Maybe others will copy it, and maybe it will become the standard. But for now the
question is, “What are consumers entitled to have?” Can we expect to have free
meal on a flight---like we used to have? Can we expect to have our baggage handled
for us---which obviously is a labor cost for the airline? What’s next---a charge for
carry-ons? A charge for using the restroom? A ticket priced on your weight?

It’s an age old dilemma in many fields---should you pay a la carte for every item or
service, or have the costs buried in one fee, the same for everyone?

Decades ago we had the price stamped on every product in the grocery store.
Consumerists said we are entitled to have that. Then came the bar codes, and prices
were printed on your receipt. The system became more efficient; it was progress
and we accepted it.

Before fast foods, we didn’t clear our own tables. Now we are expected to tidy up
before we leave. Now it’s our habit to do it and we feel guilty if we don’t.

I guess we thought that when we pay for a ticket, our bags will fly free. When we
buy a TV set, we expect free programs will come with it (for the most part.) In that
case, advertisers foot the bill; is there a way we can slough off the cost of baggage to
someone else?

The increased cost of oil is having a ripple effect with unexpected consequences.
When other costs rises will companies look for other chores they can pass on to you?
And make you feel good about it! Think hard about that. Free lunches might be
over.