We love to fly, and it...costs.

Today I learned two dismaying tidbits about the airline industry.

The first is that Delta, my frequent-flier mileage-awarding slavemaster, has caved to peer pressure and announced that it too will be reducing the number of free checked bags per (coach) passenger to a mere one. This comes on the heels of similar announcements by Northwest, Continental, and United Airlines, all of whom appear to agree that passengers flying coach have fewer possessions than their first-class-cabinmates. First-class passengers on all four airlines may check up to three bags for free. For budget travellers like myself, who find it hard not to buy gifts for everyone we know when we're abroad, this comes as a blow; not only do we have to pay for the things we buy, we'll have to pay extra to get them home...assuming our flight isn't cancelled, that is.

My question is this: isn't this akin to giving away goodie bags worth thousands of dollars to celebrities, who could actually afford to purchase all that stuff? If you can afford to fly first class, can't you afford to pay an extra $25 to check a third bag? Why stick us poor steerage passengers with the fees?

And then there are people for whom no luxury is ever enough. For those discerning and non-monetarily-challenged travellers, Emirates Airlines presents their new fully private First Class suites. According to their very posh website,

"The new private suite is fully equipped with individual storage, a coat closet, vanity desk and personal mini bar. The extra-large seat reclines to become a fully flat bed, and the 23" wide-screen LCD screen features over 600 channels of ice entertainment.

Our award-winning, multilingual cabin crew provide an unprecedented level of personal service, including a la carte gourmet cuisine and an extensive wine list."

As if feeling like chattel wasn't easy enough when we're crammed into 28" of pitch space, we now have pictures of these homes-away-from-home to envy. These suites come complete with luxurious polished wood paneling, 600-thread-count Egyptian cotton linens on your fully reclining, twin-size bed, seven-course dining with a trained sommelier at your service, automated reclining seat - just press a button to nap! - and your own personal flight attendant. You even get doors to pull shut while you sleep, completely closing you off from the annoyances of other filthy-rich travellers. It's just like the Hogwarts Express, only without Draco Malfoy stealing your luggage. And the price for this luxury? Starting from a mere $12,626 for flights from New York-JFK to Dubai.

And I betcha they don't have to pay to check an extra bag, either.