SmallBusinessNewz

You've typed, clicked, and called, but at times, there's just no substitute for getting on a plane and going somewhere yourself.  So it's necessary to consider what the airplane trip will cost.

An article by Sherry Jackson indicates that those costs may be on the rise.  Ticket prices themselves aren't all that bad - the airlines know it's important to get customers through the door, so to speak - but afterwards, incidental expenses can add up quickly.

"The convenience of checking your bags curbside and avoiding long lines in the airport will now cost $2 per bag at some major U.S. airports," reports Jackson.  Also, even if you skip that step, "Just checking bags also now costs money with some carriers."

Or suppose that you forgot to line your pockets with granola bars.  Jackson later writes, "On Spirit flights, water is free, but a soft drink will cost you $1 and a bag of chips $4.  And you better have a credit card, since Spirit doesn't allow cash purchases onboard any of their aircrafts."

Other airlines go the opposite route by asking for exact change, and either way, since a small bag of potato chips might contain only 100 or 150 calories, you'd better be prepared to buy several if you want to replace a meal.

On the bright side, airlines are at last moving towards widespread Wi-Fi availability.  It's not here, yet, and will probably cost extra when it comes, but the ability to stay in touch might make up for the other nuisances and expenses associated with flying.