So I guess you've all heard about American Airlines charging $15 for the first checked bag on domestic flights (beginning with tickets purchased on or after June 15).

While bringing in more money to the airline, this fee will create even more of a mess at airports, as people seach for bills - or worse, credit cards - to give to whom? The skycaps? The automated check-in systems? And wait and see how many frugal flyers try to squeeze oversized bags into the overhead compartments, holding up boarding even longer. Is this what American wants?

But I don't want to pick on them. There are still a lot of things they can charge us for. Magazines, paperbacks, headphones, sandwiches we now have to lug on because we know we won't get fed, jackets, belts, shoes, socks, hearing aids, dental fillings. Don't put it past them. Clearly, to them we're all just extra baggage.