Will Soon Begin Charging For ALL Checked Luggage

Oh boy. United Airlines and US Airways each announced Thursday they will soon follow American Airlines down the route of increasing revenue, and likely alienating customers. The carriers will soon begin charging $15 for the first piece of checked luggage, on top of previously-announced fees for the second bag and above.

The Associated Press reports UAL will implement the fee for all economy-class tickets as of Friday, for domestic flights starting August 18. The airline will also increase fees for three or more bags, overweight bags or items that need special handling by 25 percent, to $125-$250 a pop.

First-class passengers and frequent travelers won't have to pay the added fees, nor will international fliers.

If you thought that was bad, it gets worse. Over at US Airways, not only will the airline start charging for all checked bags -- in this case, on flights booked after July 9, regardless of travel date -- but the carrier will also begin charging for non-alcoholic drinks as of August 1.

If you want that tiny cup of soda -- don't even think of asking for the whole can -- it'll now cost you $2. The move follows US Airways' elimination of free snack service last month on domestic flights.

The Associated Press did the math. A family of four, with each member checking a single item of luggage, will pay $120 more in baggage fees for a round trip on United, US Airways, or American -- which, as ANN reported, took the lead in implementing the controversial new luggage fees last month. (They'd best bring their own drinks and snacks onboard US Airways, too.) That's on top of significantly higher air fares all-around, brought about by high fuel prices.

But wait... it gets even WORSE. The added fees are almost sure to bring longer waits at TSA checkpoints, as fliers fight the checked luggage fees by carrying more items onboard with them. But first, they'll have to get past the ticket counters, which will also see a slowdown as passengers are required to pay on-the-spot for their checked bags.

With these announcements, Southwest Airlines will remain the only US carrier that won't charge for the first... OR second... item of checked luggage. The airline pointedly noted last month it has no plans to alter that policy.

FMI: www.united.com, www.usairways.com