In January, I wrote a blog about the great luggage debate. Do you check in or carry on? My old friend, Sky Torvis, asked me why airlines don’t charge for carry-on luggage.

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Maybe someone at Spirit Airlines read that blog, because they just announced that they will be charging $20 to $45 for items placed in the overhead bins. I am not sure how the exact charge is determined, but it is most likely size- or weight-based. Also, there are still going to be restrictions or else everyone will just carry everything on.

It doesn’t surprise me that Spirit has been blitzed with complaints. Surprisingly, they have also received a lot of support. The website endcarryoncrunch.org is one such supporter.

Passengers trying to avoid the cost and inconvenience of checking in their luggage have resorted to overstuffing their carry-on bags, despite supposed size and weight limitations. We have all seen bags the size of small refrigerators being hoisted and crammed into the overhead bins. This is in addition to the computer bag, personal bag, incidental bag and whatever else someone could possibly bring on board. It is ridiculous.

Spirit is the first airline in the United States to charge for carry-on luggage. The rest of the airline industry will surely be watching to see how this plays out. Others must be waiting to follow.

Like my role model and GT big cheese, Fran Gallagher, I always try to carry on my luggage. However, my bag is usually a well-stuffed duffel bag, about half the size of most carry-on bags. Despite it possibly costing me, I still don’t mind the charge to carry on. It makes sense. You pay for convenience.

I know this is probably an unpopular opinion, but I am surprised it took this long. Maybe if passengers hadn’t turned storing bags in the bins into a feat worthy of Strongman competitions, it wouldn’t have come to this.

— John Wroblewski, distribution specialist