Baggage Fees Kill Me

Five years ago, we were making plans to be in Niagara Falls for our Youngest's wedding at the end of the month.  While everyone else that went to the wedding flew, K and I drove.  Yes, the rest of the people did have to come from further west than us, but we got there in less than 10 hours, so they could have done it easily in a few more hours of driving.  We did discuss the possibility of flying ourselves, but one thing stood in our way:  I am the world's worst packer.

I hate to pack whenever we go on a trip--and I don't care if we're going for overnight or for 10 days!  I think part of my problem is the fact that K doesn't help at all, which I wouldn't necessarily mind if he would only tell me WHAT he wanted me to pack.  I always have to decide what I need for myself AND what he might need--and that isn't always an easy task.  I would much rather pack during the winter months, as I ALWAYS know I need to take warm clothes.  However, packing for the spring, summer, and fall months finds me taking three times as much clothing as I can ever hope to wear.  With no promise of what weather I might face--don't forget, we can experience 50* temperature changes in 24 hours around here--I have to pack for hot AND cold whenever we travel.  And that is why it is so much easier for us to drive:  We have enough room to take all of our luggage.

It is getting too expensive to bring luggage when you travel by air.  Period.  As of right now, most airlines are NOT charging for carry-on bags, but with more and more people actually trying to get away with having to pay baggage fees, we'll see that change in no time.  The last time we traveled by air, there was so much stuff in the overhead bins that I worried the doors wouldn't be able to close.  And I saw so many people staggering into the plane under all of their carry-on junk, that I couldn't tell if they were men, women, or grizzly bears boarding.  The airlines are not going to let this go on much longer.  Considering the baggage fees for checked bags is now $20-25 dollars per the first two bags--and the fees jump drastically for the next bags--the cost for carry-ons will have to be in the $15-25 range when the fees are imposed.  And that will add another $100--at the very least--to our travel expenses.  Even with the cost of gas, it might be cheaper for us to continue traveling on land and not by air.  But then, we could just save all of that money and stay home.  Ugh.