Delta is doubling most fees on checked bags. I especially like the part where you can be triple-charged; extra bag fee + overweight fee + oversize fee. You’re looking at a $315 charge for that bag, which is nuts!

Banks, who collect well in excess of $15B annually in fees, have proven that customers are willing to pay them. It seems like the airline industry is taking the same approach, which only seems sensible given our willingness to be nickle-and-dimed to death. My only question is why it took them so long to do it? The problem for airlines might be that air travel is a luxury that people can easily forgo. A second problem is that business travelers are a large segment for them and any business traveler worth their salt never checks bags. I doubt they’ll hurt demand, and I doubt they’ll go back down when oil price finally breaks.

Just one more headache for travelers, better weigh & measure your bags. But don’t take too many either…