Management points out that the baggage fee actually saves the company fuel and labor fees because it discourages passengers from bringing on the extra weight.

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TripAdvisor's app has a built-in baggage fee estimator: Tell the app how many bags you plan to check and whether you have elite status on any airlines that would waive bag fees and it builds the fee charges into fare quotes you get.

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Kayak offers a flight tracker, a price alert notification service, an airline directory, baggage-fee directory and airport information.

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If you pay at the airport, it worked out that being about 10 pounds (in weight, not sterling) over the expected baggage total weight yielded a fee that was almost the same as the original ENTIRE TICKET.

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But the Obama administration said the fee captures only 36 percent of the cost of providing aviation security, and said the increased fee will result in passengers paying "a majority" of the estimated cost of passenger and baggage screening.

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