September 5th - Airlines have been under attack for adding extra charges for baggage and seating. Is this fair?

They say “no” – all the charges are published and highlighted, and these are optional extras. If you’re prepared to travel with just a small bag and don’t mind where you sit on the plane, then the fare you see is the fare you pay.

My view: it’s perfectly fair to charge people extra for the extra cost of providing services. In the UK easyJet started that in 1995 when they started charging 50p for a cup of tea. When charges for luggage started in 2006, the cost of checking in a suitcase was just a couple of pounds – reflecting the cost of handling. But now the prices are ridiculous. In a couple of weeks I’m flying from Newcastle to Dublin. The flight is £17 but if I want to bring a decent sized piece of cabin baggage on board, I will pay £20 – more than doubling the cost. Charges for seating people together are also disproportionate.

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