Just a small rant, but...

Does anybody else find it disturbing that our home town charges visitors $3 for a luggage cart at int'l arrivals at both EWR and JFK?

I could be wrong, but I believe almost every other major airport I've been to recently (MSP, DTW, ORD, LAX, LHR, LGW, PEK, PVG, HKG, AMS, TLV, etc.) had free carts at least in the int'l arrivals area to make it easier to get through Customs.

Charging for the carts at int'l arrivals is a bad idea for several reasons:

• It makes no sense, since pax haven't had a chance to change money, and although the machines accept credit cards, many overseas visitors don't necessarily have a card that will work in the USA.
• It makes the Customs line move less smoothly, since it's much harder to navigate a snaking queue lugging two 70lb bags by hand than if they're loaded on a cart--and the folks transporting 140lbs of luggage tend to be the least likely to shell out $3 for a cart.
• It's terrible PR. "Welcome to the USA. Get out your checkbook."