Come on. I'm not the only person to get irritated about unnecessary fees. The ones that are just supplementing the business costs and provide no real service to the consumer.
Baggage fees fall clearly under that definition. I know there are penny pinchers, starving students or others out there like me who just want to save a buck or buck the establishment.
Here's a few tips on using the Internet to get out of baggage fees that can range from $25 to $100 or more!
1. Look up the local Goodwill or Salvation Army where you are traveling to and just buy up what you need when you get there. (If you really find stuff you like, you can always ship it home for like $20 bucks. Cheaper than baggage fees!)
2. Use Southwest Airlines where they are tender and loving and respectful of bags that travel. So much so that bags fly free.
3. Look up local garage sales on Craigslist. (Same process as number 1 above but a little more time consuming and when you are done, you can always drop them off at the local Goodwill.) Select your city. Under 'For Sale' click on garage sale.
4. Find a resale shop. Not as cheap as Number 1 and 3 and maybe as much as baggage fees but at least you have something to show for your purchase. Under 'What' type in 'resale' and under 'where', put in your city and state.
5. Ship your stuff. If you don't have much, ship a box fed-ex. At least your items will be insured and if they are banged around or damaged you can be refunded - unlike airline baggage. Select the location you are sending from. Under the tab 'Ship', find locations near you.
Hey, if all else fails, layer all your clothing and carry on a folded up duffle bag. You can always pull them all off later and tuck them back in your bag. You might be asked to 'strip down' at security though so it may take a while to save.
Happy hunting and saving!
