Cruising Altitude is a weekly column about air travel. Have a suggestion for a future topic? Fill out the form or email me at the address at the bottom of this page. As an avgeek and frequent traveler ...

Unlike most airlines, Southwest Airlines famously lets you check baggage for free. Southwest allows passengers to check up to two pieces of baggage for free — plus bring a carry-on bag and a personal ...

This week we tackle a topic that drives our team nuts: the dreaded involuntary bag check. You’re at the gate, your flight is boarding, the overhead bin space is dwindling - then the gate agent’s ...

JetBlue is bringing Uber-style surge pricing to bag-check fees, making it more costly to check luggage during peak travel periods. When and where you're traveling to now affects how much you'll pay to ...

Checking a bag is an exercise in trust. The hope? That you will be reunited painlessly with your possessions after many labor-intensive steps involving heavy machinery and numerous workers, often ...