Campus News Blog: Airlines Charge for Your Extra Baggage

By Leslie Chase

The end of the semester is drawing near, and for most students that means packing up and heading back home for the summer.

But before you overstuff those suitcases, beware of the airlines attempt to make more money during these tough economic times.

With the economy in a serious slump, many travelers are taking advantage of lower gas prices and traveling by car as opposed to by air. Which mean airlines are having an even tougher time staying afloat. And that means more fees being passed on to the customer.

It wasn’t too long ago that passengers were allowed to travel with two pieces of luggage before being charged additional baggage charges. Now, almost all major airlines are charging passengers for every bag they check.

Major airlines like American, Continental, and Delta charge a $15 fee each way for the first piece of luggage up to 50 pounds and a $25 fee each way for every additional piece of luggage per passenger. That’s $30 round trip for just one checked bag!

So students, when you’re packing up to go home, I would suggest packing light, like a toothbrush and a clean pair of clothes and whatever you can fit into your carry on. Or check out airfare on airlines like JetBlue, which allows you to check one piece of luggage for free, and Southwest Airlines, which lets you travel with two bags for no additional charge.

For those of you that have already booked your tickets back home, spare yourself the surprise of an unexpected charge at the ticket counter and check out a full list of the most current fees for the top 22 major airlines.