Hey all, I've been reading FT for a while and finally had to register to comment on this $15 nonsense. Along with all the confusion about which bags will be charged at the gate and how they will be handled...what about the tiny planes that are used for regional flights? When I know I'm going to be on a plane with one set of seats on the left and two on the right, I know my (otherwise regulation sized) bag won't fit, so I check it pre-security so as not to have to deal with it. Now, am I going to have to take it through security and roll it to the gate, to be told by the gate agent that it won't fit in the overhead? Will I be charged for that?

The idea of charging for luggage due to high gas costs isn't a crazy idea. But the way the airlines have chosen to implement it is possibly the worst method one could dream up. Why not just charge by the pound for all luggage, regardless of whether it's in cargo or the passenger cabin? It's using just as much gas.