Airline amenities flying off the radar
By Leslie Hunt • Bankrate.com

These days, plane tickets include less and less in the price -- that is, if you plan to check in a few bags, sleep, eat, stretch your legs or watch movies during the flight.

Sorry, folks. Convenience now has a price tag.

Paying for amenities that used to be free might seem outrageous, but the practice is not exactly new to major airlines, according to Randy Peterson, an expert on frequent-flier programs and editor and publisher of Inside Flyer, a magazine for frequent travelers. The airline industry, he contends, is a cyclical creature that has been there, done that, when it comes to charging for meals and baggage. People Express Airlines, for instance, a popular low-fare airline that went bust in the mid-1980s, charged 50 cents per can of soda and $5 per checked bag.

But today, the practice has become widespread. Munchies and movies now come with a price tag on longer flights. Hunger pangs on a five-hour United Airlines flight will cost you $5 for a salad or sandwich wrap with chips. Desire to watch the in-flight movie "Walk the Line"? It will cost you $5 for the headsets on US Airways flights.

Nor can you pack everything but the kitchen sink -- unless you plan to pay the excess baggage fees. Though you could once check in two bags for free, now many legacy carriers limit each bag to 50 pounds and 62 linear inches -- and still cap you at two free checked-in bags. You don't want to break the rules, either. Overweight bags will cost $25 to $50 apiece on domestic American Airlines flights. Oversized bags will cost $80 a bag, and extra bags will cost $80-$180 on the carrier. And don't even think about bringing a third overweight and oversized bag. Legacy carriers will triple charge you for offending all three restrictions, each way. Delta charges a minimum of $175 on domestic flights.

It's also a bad time to be tall. Those wanting more leg room in a preassigned aisle or emergency exit row seat on a Northwest Airlines flight will pay $15 for the once-free privilege.

Despite the recent press, Northwest's move is not entirely new, says Peterson. United Airlines has been charging for premium seats for years -- they just introduced it better. United Airlines markets the roomy seats as a tiered, elitist privilege: Top frequent-flier members automatically get first access to "Economy Plus" seats, which boast five extra inches of leg room. Others must pay a minimum of $300 for yearlong access, enroll in United's frequent-flier program or purchase the seats at check-in, if any remain unoccupied. Anyone can purchase Northwest's "Coach Choice" seats, though frequent fliers have an additional 12 hours before anyone else to purchase them.

Will it get worse? 3 opinions
According to the experts we spoke with, the answer is, well, up in the air.

• Expect turbulence: One expert saw Northwest's stingy move as the beginning of a trend toward a la carte ticket pricing, where the cost of a ticket buys a seat on the plane and not much else. Terry Trippler, an airline expert with cheapseats.com, predicts that the airlines will charge for everything they can to increase revenue. "I think this is just the beginning," he says. He expects more legacy carriers to follow in Northwest's contrails and come up with their own charges for aisle, bulkhead and emergency exit seats.
• Stand by: Jeff Miller, a travel industry lawyer and consultant with The Miller Travel Group and Lipshultz and Miller, contends that the future of airline amenities rests on travelers' reaction to Northwest's Coach Choice program, and to some extent, United Airlines' Economy Plus. He expects a backlash from business travelers who are in markets that have competition with Northwest and United.