Bag tossing

Outrage, outrage. That was the reaction after United Airlines said the other say that it would start charging people in the cheap seats to check a second bag. Some were alienated, and one flyer told a discussion group that the policy would doubtless hurt those who could least afford it and that it was “kind of like the rich getting richer and poor getting poorer.” She did not suggest a federal baggage-fee subsidy, however. Someone you know and (we hope) like can be heard talking about the reaction here in an IAG podcast.
Left Field has a longer discussion of this whole marketing concept of unbundling or a la carte pricing, and the way some carriers such as Spirit Airlines or Skybus are trying to carve out a new niche where extras (“ancillary charges”) are as important a revenue stream as ticket fees. Spirit is certainly committed to the philosophy: a day or two after United came out with its new policy, the South Florida-based discounter said it was raising its fees for checked bags.