Will Now Charge $50 For Second Bag

How high will they go? We shudder to ponder the possibilities. Now that United Airlines passengers are getting accustomed to paying $25 to check a second bag on domestic flights, parent UAL Corp announced Monday it's doubling the fee to $50 one-way.

The $15 fee for the first checked bag, begun by United on June 12, will continue unchanged. The beleaguered carrier also helpfully notes "customers may continue to carry on one bag and one personal item such as a purse, briefcase, or laptop computer to fit under the seat or in an overhead bin."

Reuters reports the fee will not apply to customers in the United First or United Business programs, those with Premier status with United or Star Alliance, or active duty military personnel traveling on orders.

United says the fee will affect only one out of seven customers.... fewer, it should be noted, than will be affected by the airline's recent cutbacks in snack service for most domestic flights.

In an odd bit of budgetary camouflage, United lumps revenue from checked-bag fees in with merchandising. The airline says revenue for the entire category will reach $700 million.

There's no report on the portion credited to checked-bag fees.

FMI: www.united.com