How to avoid surprise airline fees

When I first got introduced to the wonderful world of air transportation, things were pretty friendly. A kind word or genuine smile would easily get an overweight suitcase past the scale and on board of the plane, without paying any extra fees. It does seem that mentality has changed. Nowadays I’m having issues getting any sort of luggage on board without paying, regardless of whether it’s overweight or not. It appears that most airlines have adopted a model where I pay for even my first bag that is well within their weight and size restrictions.

The amount of stuff I pay for on a ticket is overwhelming – it varies from “fuel surcharges” to “noise cancellation fees” because some city planner decided to build an airport right next to a densely populated area, or vice versa. After a while they forgot whether the chicken came first, or the egg. Given the amount of fees already added to the base fare, I’m not too excited when I have to swipe my credit card again to simply get my belongings…