Summer travel also means summer travel frustrations. Think oversold flights, packed luggage compartments, crowded beaches and much more. Luckily, Peter is here not just to empathize but to problem solve. This week he shows how to carry-on bags, choose an alternate airline abroad and find value in Hawaii during its shoulder season.

You can talk to him at 1-888-88-PETER (1-888-887-3837), email him at peter@petergreenberg.com, tweet questions to @petersgreenberg (use #askPeter), or post questions on his Facebook page.

Molly in Seattle emailed: Why are we paying an $85 fee to check their bags while all these other guys stuff all their gear into the overhead bins for free? This seems “bass ackwards” to me. They should be paying the fee. We, who check our bags make it convenient and comfortable for others, should pay no fees at all.

You may not like this, Molly but people are gaming the system left and right. As long as they can fit their bag through their security conveyor belt, when get to their gate the airline will gate check it, and they don’t get charged at all.

Let’s go one step beyond that to our folks at Spirit. What is Spirit Airlines doing? They’re charging up to $100 in September for anybody who wants to put their bag in the overhead bin. Do you feel better now, Molly?

I understand your frustration, but the bottom line is that every airline should charge a unilateral fee for checked bags, or they should all be free or built into the rate.

I’m all in favor of checking bags for free, as you can do on Southwest Airlines. If you do a fare-by-fare comparison, Southwest’s fares are as expensive if not more expensive than the other carriers. They are no longer the low-fare airline, but they maintain passenger good will because they are not nickel and diming their fliers.

For more of Peter’s thoughts on baggage fees, check out his travel tip on Avoiding Checked Bag Fees.

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