The general reaction I see to airline baggage fees is that people who frequently travel with no checked bags don't care (or think it's a good thing), whereas people who travel with checked bags are upset. That much is obvious, and it's kind of net neutral overall.<p>However, I think there is a far worse side effect of the change in pricing structure. The side effect is that <i>nobody</i> wants to check a bag, so the volume of baggage actually entering the plane's cabin has significantly increased. It makes boarding take longer, makes everything more crowded, and in general it's a huge hassle for everyone, including the luggageless travelers.<p>For that reason, I try to avoid airlines that charge baggage fees, even when I am flying with no bags at all.