I went onto the Southwest Airlines web site the other day and they are prominently advertising that you can check in your bags for free on their flights. Since so many other airlines are now having to pay for even checking in their 1st bag ths is something to advertise and celebrate. As for me, this could actually sway me to purchase tickets from them more often as well.
I also just read in one of my many travel magazines that I get, that American Airlines has decided not to charge our military men returning from war the baggage fees as well. My first gut reaction was ‘How dare they charge these wonderful, courageous men and women in the first place’! Then I got sarcastic and said ‘How nice of them to to do this’ and then I just wanted to write a scathing letter to the airline and to every single newspaper and say they better reimburse these US military people.
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So my thoughts wandered, as they often do, as to what exactly is the issue with having to check bags (besides for greed). What makes luggage so very special they get to be picked on by the airlines? So I did some research about luggage.
Did you know that the word luggage comes from the lug or to drag around? Historically luggage used to be wooden boxes or trunks. Since people did not move about that often, that when they did they needed a large piece to hold all their things. Luggage or Baggage as air travelers have taken over the years to calling it, have shrunken in size for the most part. Luggage makers even created specific sized bags to fit under the seat of an airplane or in the overhead compartments. That is how important luggage is to the airlines. So why are they picking on luggage anyway? I don’t know why, but I like Southwest Airlines idea of not charging still to bring along a few extra pieces of clothes when we travel and keeping it in our luggage.
















