The rich get richer...the rest of us get screwed

UPDATE 2: United has followed AA in accessing a bag fee to us sorry saps in economy class. It's a matter of time until the rest follow. They keep blaming this on rising fuel costs. If and when fuel prices come down they better give us back our "perks." But I have a suspicion that we'll never see free bag checks again.

UPDATE: According to an American Airlines press release, the fee is $15 for the first bag, EACH WAY of a round trip flight. So it's really $30 for one bag and $50 for the second. So a year ago traveling with two checked bags cost us bubkiss, now it will cost $80.

American Airlines just announced they will begin charging $15 for the FIRST checked bag on a flight, on top of the previously announced $25 for a second bag. As outrageous as the premise of this announcement is, given that you now have to pay for EVERYTHING on a flight, the fact that they will NOT be charging elite frequent flyer members and those with "premium" tickets is even more insane and insulting. Ok, so the folks that can most afford an extra $15 bucks, the corporate execs., the celebrities, the generally well off, get a pass, while the rest of us, with our credit card debt, our energy costs, our food price increases, must now subsidize an industry that is in a decline of its own making. Typical.