And it's saved me a lot of money by choosing to not fly...road trip only vacations this year.

@jscott73: bingo.

@jscott73: Same here, I'll be driving.

Let me show you my 70lb carry-on. My 70lb carry-on: Let me show you it.

I saw this person, on my flight wearing the following: a backpack, a carry on bag, a trenchcoat, another coat under the trenchcoat, a sweater, and a plastic bag. Lucky for me I got on the plane before him as I watch him take it all off and stuff it into the overhead storage. Unlucky for me as I had to wait after arriving to have him put it all back on.

I've become "that guy".
You know, the guy that you see trying to stuff the MAXIMUM carry-on sized bag into the overhead compartment, and trying to stuff the MAXIMUM-Sized "briefcase/murse" underneath his seat... while also carrying another purse-like-thing for my camera and snacks.

I'd rather them move to a sustainable pricing model than continuously churn in and out of taxpayer-subsidized bankruptcies.

It's taught me to dress in layers when I fly: 4 pair of underwear, 3 pair of pants, 5 shirts, and 2 jackets. I carry my extra socks and shoes in my carry-on.

"Sorry, am I crowding you?"

Or, how about the fact that since charging, EVERYONE now has a carry-on. On a recent flight between PHL and PHX, they literally stopped boarding half-way and forced all carry-on larger than a typical briefcase to be gate-checked. They then proceeded to LOSE my carry-on. The one I decided to Carry-on so I would not lose all of the valuable items and medical supplies for my diabetic wife. US Airways can go EFF themselves.

@jscott73: Ditto.

I still feel the fee is completely arbitrary and bogus in the grand scheme of things. Yes, it's an added source of revenue, and yes, it can help the efficiency of baggage handling operations. That's all good and well, but they're applying a charge for a service that was initially rolled into the price of admission. It's like charging digital postage for emails after we've had it free for so long. It's bound to piss people off.

The flight is $400, $600, $800. There is never enough overhead space anyway, and won't be now. So I pay the extra $15 knowing I'll only need to find a sliver of space for my laptop bag, and that my checked bag will come out just as I reach baggage claim, faster and more reliably than ever before.

Hurray! Overpricing is effectively combating airplane overcrowding. Now we can move the seats farther apart, provide better in-cabin services, and improve scheduling processes.

Also, bankruptcy.

You win some, you lose... all?

@The Name's Ash78, Housewares: Well come on, whip that thing out.

@weakdome: I do that too, I also make sure to wear the jacket and pants I own with the largest and most abundant pockets. I cannot justify wasting carry on space for a book when I can just as easily cram it into a pocket. I even went so far as to fill my pockets with underwear and socks on a trip I took to Sweden last spring.

My mom was wondering when I might fly home again, since I'll be missing this Christmas.

It led me to wonder if there's going to be any airlines left the next time I head home.

I travelled US Airways to Boston last month and we were delayed on every leg because of people having to have their baggage checked at the gate because there was no room on the plane. They may be making money on the checked baggage fee but the delays in flights has to cost them as well. The checked at the gate baggage was checked for free. SO that is a way people are getting around paying for the checked baggage.

US Airways is still a huge piece of shit. It's too bad when they bought out America West. America West was such a pleasure to fly, and cheap! Round trip tickets to Vegas from Phoenix for 90 bucks! Those were the days.

I miss Phoenix :(

@chrisjames: That, or more likely: flight cuts.

@weakdome: same rules applies as 'ask a stupid question' - make an unreasonable policy, expect unreasonable solutions. they earned their pain.

@novacthall: well considering how much airline tickets still cost and have gone up even in the past year or two, it's complete bullshit for them to say this is a valid response to their profits falling. $15 on top of a $500 ticket? really? there's nothing in that $500 that covered a perfectly reasonable amount of luggage, ie ONE BAG.

@concordia: virgin.

"It's caused a 20% drop in checked luggage - which has improved baggage handling performance - all while adding revenue during a tough time for airlines."

I think this part is missing: "And it has caused a 40% decrease in customer satisfaction - which has made us bankrupt."

@bobpence:
Are you sure you're flying the same UselesS Airways I am?

@krunkwizard: I agree. U.S. Airways is the worst airline in America, in my opinion. Their "schedule" is a complete work of fiction. They just operate flights when they feel like getting around to it, not when they are supposed to.

Why do people bring big carry on baggage anyways? You have to put it through security and it's a pain in the ass to haul on and off the plane and shove into those overhead compartments.

Bring a SUITCASE or a BACKPACK with you. Something that can mostly fit under the seat in front of you. What on earth do need or even want for that matter during the flight that you cannot fit into a very small bag? Otherwise check the damn thing!

Last week I flew USair back from FL. I checked my bag, but snuck my dog on, I'll bite and pay that $15 for a bag but $100 for my dog? no way. On a side note while waiting to in line to get my boarding pass there was these 2 people who had like 6 things of luggage and told usair they couldn't afford to pay for the bags. Not sure what ended up happening but I later saw those 2 people on my flight.

I wish they would ramp up passenger trains. I would gladly take one if they offered it in my area vs. driving or taking a plane.

@TheGuinnessTooth:

Whose socks and underwear?

If success is measured by failure than US Air is #1.

I resent having to pay for baggage but I believe this also has a side benefit by "forcing" passengers fly with less stuff.

Less stuff = lighter airplane = less fuel = profit!!!

A few weeks ago my wife and I flew to Florida. My wife figured it would be impossible to bring no less then two bags for herself. After knowing the cost to bring a second bag, she manged to reduce down to one bag. Guess what, she survived!

@Kuonji: They bring it because a) the airlines are charging for checked luggage, b) it makes it harder for the airlines to lose your luggage, and c) it's usually much faster if you're in a hurry than standing around at the airport waiting for your bags.

@Chols:

Yes, I wish we had a huge railway system like europe has, that can take us to pretty much anywhere in the US.

@katylostherart: I don't know, I have seen lots of ticket prices fall not just recently, but over time. I fly from Portland, OR to Puerto Rico every year. A ticket that used to cost $800+ has fallen over time to not even $400. And that under-$400 ticket was US Air. Likewise I've seen prices fall for a number of destinations. (Not all, of course, but enough that I noticed.)

I usually have to check a bag when I go to PR, and considering how much cheaper it is now than before, I'm not too upset about the extra $15. For shorter trips, I do try to avoid checking a bag but if I have to, it's still cheaper than the ticket alone used to cost.

@johnva: Good reasons. Generally not good enough reasons for me to bother, though. I've gone overseas for two weeks and had one carry-on and one large checked bag and it was plenty. I suppose I just can't agree with many peoples' packing habits.

@krunkwizard: What I do like about US Air is that they don't usually weigh by suitcase when I check it. :)

Those a-holes over at American, though....a couple of extra pounds and they want your right arm.

@Kuonji: It's unreasonable to expect that everyone can always make do with a carry-on size bag for their whole trip.

What on earth do I pack when I check a bag? Gifts for my family, when I go back to visit. THE HORROR.

@DrGirlfriend: For their whole flight? I can't see what you'd need larger than a backpack for a flight, unless you had a young child/infant with you. I never said you should only bring a carry-on for your trip, I'm saying I don't think people leverage the checked bags service well enough and/or pack too damn much :)

I think if it forces people to travel light, then it would be a success. Too many people carry too much crap with them when they fly. Besides, if you have enough star alliance points, the fee is waived.

However, there are more morons carrying more shit on-board with them than usual. They need to make it a policy to have 1 carry-on item per person. That's it.

@Kuonji: frack, i totally misread your post. mea culpa, my apologies, i will go self-flagellate now. :)

@DrGirlfriend: There are too many factors that could influence that one flight though (expanded airport, relaxed international fees, etc). You would need to get a larger sample of domestic us travel to tell anything.

@weakdome: ...and it's people like you that make me happy I'm a preferred member with my airline and get to board the plane ahead of the cattle, with my ONE reasonable sized carry-on.

@DrGirlfriend: gift cards and cash don't need their own luggage.

I fly regional Air Crapada ooops, Air CANADA flights and make extensive use of "sky-check."

If you don't mind following the security rules, you can take an extra bag through check-in, but leave it on a rack near the entrance to the plane. Baggage staff load these into the place LAST and you're on your way.

At your destination, it's the first stuff unloaded and it's waiting when you get off the plane.

I just made a 5 day business trip to Toronto a heck of a lot easier. When I came back (landing at UGH 1am) I was able to grab my luggage, sprint through the airport and get one of 2 or 3 cabs before the first checked baggage was dumped onto the carousel. Sweet.

If Air Canada (or other airlines) offered this on longer flights, I'd never check a bag again.

They're lying. The number of bags has not changed, people just stopped checking them. Now instead they make flights late while they try to cram their oversized bags into overflowing overhead bins. So while baggage handling may be faster, you'll miss your connecting flight so it hardly matters.

Solution: Don't fly rip-off airlines. Let them go out of business and be replaced by fiscally sustainable groups such as Southwest who to this day do not rape their customers with fees.

@Jamie Sommers: "Gifts for family" aren't always cards and cash. Most gifts come in things called boxes. Those take space and need their own luggage.

@concordia: That's what SHE said.

Yes it's a success. I'll never fly this airline again!

I flew last month to Florida on US Air and paid my $15. So yeah, I guess it was a success?

The amount of carryon luggage some freaks were carrying was outrageous though. They need to put one of those carry-on luggage displays with the max-sized box at the boarding gate w/enforcement! The stewardesses didn't wanna hassle people with huge garment bags, giant puffy backpacks stuffed to the size of beachballs, etc.