This may come as a surprise to you kids out there, but once upon a time airlines used to let you check your bags for free, and they would even give you things when you flew — things like pillows and blankets and meals made from some indiscernible type of mystery meat.

Sadly, those days are long gone, and now an entire generation of American kids is growing up thinking that having to pay an extra $100 or so for the privilege of bringing luggage on your vacation is simply the way things are done. Continue reading »