15 most hated fees
Stand up to the pesky charges -- from checked-bag costs to retirement plan expenses -- that bug you the most.
10. Handing over big bucks to check baggage
What it costs: $--$$$
What you're mad about: With airlines charging for everything from blankets and pillows (American, Allegiant, JetBlue) to seat reservations (Spirit, Airtran, British Airways), it's a wonder the burned coffee is still free. Your biggest complaint about the airlines, however, is the ever-increasing luggage fees. Only JetBlue and Southwest don't charge to check your first bag. At other airlines, the fees on domestic flights range from $15 to $45 for your first checked bag, $25 to $35 for your second. (You may pay even more if you check the bags at the airport instead of online.) For a family of four on a roundtrip, those fees can easily total $200. To add insult to injury: Spirit announced that on Aug. 1 it will begin charging $20 to $45 for each carryon.
How to fight back: If you can't fly a baggage-fee-free airline, aim for elite status on the airline you use most often. That gets you at least one free checked bag per flight. Or simply pack lightly enough that you can avoid checking altogether. You'll need a soft-sided carryon bag with exterior dimensions totaling no more than 45 inches; length should be no more than 21 inches, says Doug Dyment, founder of the website OneBag.com.
NEXT: Plunking down to hang up on your cell carrier
What you're mad about: With airlines charging for everything from blankets and pillows (American, Allegiant, JetBlue) to seat reservations (Spirit, Airtran, British Airways), it's a wonder the burned coffee is still free. Your biggest complaint about the airlines, however, is the ever-increasing luggage fees. Only JetBlue and Southwest don't charge to check your first bag. At other airlines, the fees on domestic flights range from $15 to $45 for your first checked bag, $25 to $35 for your second. (You may pay even more if you check the bags at the airport instead of online.) For a family of four on a roundtrip, those fees can easily total $200. To add insult to injury: Spirit announced that on Aug. 1 it will begin charging $20 to $45 for each carryon.
How to fight back: If you can't fly a baggage-fee-free airline, aim for elite status on the airline you use most often. That gets you at least one free checked bag per flight. Or simply pack lightly enough that you can avoid checking altogether. You'll need a soft-sided carryon bag with exterior dimensions totaling no more than 45 inches; length should be no more than 21 inches, says Doug Dyment, founder of the website OneBag.com.
NEXT: Plunking down to hang up on your cell carrier
Last updated June 11 2010: 3:40 PM ET
