Advice to travelers on Delta Air Lines: Carry on, because Delta is again raising checked-bag fees. They’re going from $23 to $25 for the first bag and from $32 to $35 for the second.
Continental Airlines is following suit.
Airlines began charging checked-bag fees in mid-2008, when oil prices skyrocketed.
"Fares are holding steady compared to last year and are even a little lower in some markets," said Terry Trippler, an air-travel consumer expert for www.terrytrippler.com. "But fees keep going up."
Trippler defended airlines when they began charging a $15 bag fee, but now wonders if they’re going too far.
"People don't mind paying $10 more in airfare if they get good service. If airlines are saying they can't raise their fares by even that amount (instead of raising bag fees), they need to look at their customer service operations."
Local business traveler Stacy Stuerke said he and others who fly frequently for work have quit checking bags.
Read the complete story at kansascity.com