Your Checked AND Carry On Bags Will Cost You More The Day Of Your Flight

Spirit Airlines may win this week's award for the most creative to charge passengers an additional fee, and check your calendar, folks, it's not even April 1 yet. (Well, it might be by the time some of you read this ... but this one is for real, ed.)

Passengers on Spirit Airlines will be charged an additional $5 if they pay within 24 hours of scheduled departure time, and an additional $10 if they make their arrangements by telephone. Spirit is now calling their previous baggage fees an "Early Bird Discount", according to a report on CNN.

Spirit spokesperson Misty Pinson said that the charges were, basically, for the privilege of interacting with a human being. She said the airline is "passing savings" on to customers who choose "self-service" options.

The price for a carry-on bag is $30 in advance, $40 at the check-in counter, and $45 if the bag has to be gate-checked. Spirit is the only airline to charge fees for carry-on luggage. The airline has also lowered its "excess weight" threshold for checked luggage, which carries an additional fee, from 50 to 40 pounds.

FMI: www.spiritair.com