Airlines are now true experts at taking away: meals, drinks, magazines, checked luggage allowance, pillows and blankets, aisle seats, in-flight entertainment systems, drinkable water, yes even life-vests and then charge you for it because they can charge far more in surcharges than they can by upping the bottom line cost of the flight. Will these surcharges lower the demand? Every flight I've been on for the last couple of years have been full!!!! If ticket prices get too high, will people still fly!  Is it better to add fees than raise the prices?
 
These fees also pertain to your "free" mileage tickets. Did you know that these service fees are not part of the taxable base fare. The airlines save on government taxes too. The base fares are taxed at 7.5%. That's a big loss especially for the FAA. These "hidden fees" also cost the tax payers more; passengers are bringing more and larger carry-ons onboard and those bags must pass through TSA security.
 
My advice is to board your flight early; another fee may be coming for this privilege soon, because overhead real estate is getting scarce! Finding enough space to put your bags away properly is becoming increasingly difficult and flight attendants have to work harder to make sure they all fit. Delays are to be expected, which is also costly.
 
However, in the end, I want to fly on a safe airline that has enough money to run their business profitably and efficiently. I would gladly pay up to double the lowest discount economy fare for a more legroom and comfort on a 9 hour flight across the oceans, but I can't pay 15 times more. Is there a fare price to pay for this? I think the airlines need to charge the price it costs them to transport people from point A to Z and make a fair profit. Do we really want a government run airline? It's only a matter of time before airlines demand a bailout, too! This is just my opinion. 
 
What happened to the friendly skies? You tell me!