Biggest Stories of the Decade 2000 - 2009 - Baggage Fees and Surcharges

There was a time when most airlines allowed you to check two pieces of luggage, weighing up to 70lbs a pop, for free. For the most part, those days are long gone. After widely whittling away free meals on domestic flights, where could airlines save money or boost revenue? Hmmm...

Airlines started a fee frenzy, particularly when fuel prices skyrocketed. Fuel surcharges on top of baggage fees, paying for pillows - and the thing is, even when the price of fuel came back down to earth, the fees stayed. Dig into those pockets: whether you fly, check it, or sleep on it - it's going to cost you.

I've compiled the baggage fees of about two dozen airlines below, and a primer on some of the factors in the past that led to fuel surcharges added on to the price of airline tickets.