Spirit Air Charges for Carry-On Bags

SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)_ Spirit Airlines will now charge a fee for your carry-on bag.  The issue was raised a few months ago and now it's happened. 

For airline passengers these days, traveling has turned into a "fee for all."

Peter Greenberg, CBS News Travel Editor says, Spirit airline has become the first U.S. carrier to charge fees of up to $45 for a carry-on bag.

"The revenue from these fees in the year 2010 is up 43 percent over last year, so this is significant and some would even say staggering.  I wouldn't be surprised if airlines generated additional fees.  There's an airline in Europe called Lion Air that's contemplating charging a dollar and a half for you to go to the bathroom in the air," said Greenberg.

Greenberg says fees are why the airlines were so profitable in the 2nd quarter.

Eight of the nine major airlines experienced near-record profits, most of the money coming from fees.

Spirit Airlines' officials defend the move saying, in their case, they have cut the price of fares and that even with the carry-on fee, customers are still experiencing a savings.   However, Spirit passengers paying that fee for the first time didn't seem convinced when interviewed by reporters.