Checked Bag Fees: Money for Nothing

Air Canada, American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United, US Airways and Virgin America are all charging $25 for that second bag, according to SmarterTravel.com, which tracks such fees.

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JetBlue charges $20 and AirTran $10 for that second bag. Southwest charges $25 for a third checked bag.

Spirit charges for all bags checked -- $10 for the first and $20 for the second if paid in advance online. Otherwise, Spirit charges $20 at the airport for both bags. All airlines charge more for additional bags.

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Robert Mann, an airline industry analyst and consultant based in Port Washington, N.Y., said it is highly unlikely that any of these new fees will improve baggage handling.

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"I don't think there's any transparency on that end. I suspect the answer is no," Mann said. "I think these are just to defray existing costs of operating and maintaining the baggage systems that are in place today."

Some passengers have half-jokingly suggested that airlines will next start charging to use the bathroom.

OK, so that might -- we hope -- be a stretch, but what's next?

"We're going down the path of pricing like air freight -- by the pound," Mann said.

No U.S. airline currently charges by weight, except when bags exceed their weight limits, but Mann sees that as the next trend.

"We're treated like freight anyway," he said. "It's becoming a self-service industry. You're forced to do everything yourself or you pay for human interaction."

Mann said the new baggage fees are going to make the situation on planes before take-off more difficult.

"It will create an incredible amount of gaming by customers who will try to carry ever-larger articles on aircraft to avoid the fees," he said. "It puts flight attendants into the role of monitors as to what and how many articles can go on board an aircraft."

What is still unclear, Mann said, is what will happen when the overhead bins fill up and people have to check their bags at the gate.

"Are they assessed the $15 or $25 fee?" he asked.