Christopher Elliott Travel columnist • Profile • E-mail

The airlines don’t want you to read this.

They’d rather you fork one of the new surcharges they’ve dreamed up during the last few weeks. They want you to pay extra for your first checked bag, for drinkable water — even for “free” award tickets.

They don’t want you to know there’s another way. But there is.

Surcharges are not inevitable. À la carte pricing doesn’t have to send the price of your next vacation into the stratosphere. Really, it doesn’t.

Warning: The advice I’m about to give is no way sanctioned by the Air Transport Association, the airline trade group whose members evidently haven’t met a surcharge they don’t like. It is not endorsed by airline apologists masquerading as analysts, experts and pundits — the folks you see on TV foolishly arguing that new fees are essential to the airline industry’s survival. Nor does it reflect the views of many elite frequent fliers, who think it’s about time the “little people” sitting in the back of the plane paid more for their tickets.

No, they would not approve of what I’m saying. Which is all the more reason to say it.

Here are four outrageous new surcharges the airlines have imposed on us this summer — and how to avoid them.

Beverages
US Airways is now charging for soft drinks. That includes bottled water. Yes, bottled water. The airline is completely unapologetic about the new charge. “We’ve chosen to be more aggressive than our competitors,” Doug Parker, the airline’s chief executive, told his employees in an internal memo. You can say that again, Doogie.

Few people have a problem with an airline charging for soft drinks. But water? Come on. Given the fact that the tap water they serve on planes is often not potable, that leaves us with few alternatives.

How to get around it: Bring an empty water bottle through the Transportation Security Administration screening area and fill it at the closest water fountain in the terminal. Remember, you can’t bring liquids through a checkpoint, but there’s no rule against empty containers. You can also buy bottled water inside the terminal, but that’s not an ideal solution. Those bottles may cost more than the ones you buy on the plane. There have been isolated reports of overly vigilant screeners confiscating empty bottles, but it’s still worth a try.

Checked luggage
Remember when you could check two or even three bags at no extra charge? Ah, the good ol’ days. But that’s history. Five airlines — American, United, US Airways, Northwest and Hawaiian — have announced plans to charge passengers for the first checked bag. The other carriers can’t be far behind.

More by Christopher Elliott Dealing with an unexpected death on the road Hotel alternatives that could save you big bucks It's the perfect time to book a trip An upside to high prices at the pump Mad at the carriers? Here's how to get even Four secrets to cope with airline downsizing How hotels help themselves to your money Outrageous airline fees and how to avoid them Seven secrets to keep smiling this summer Unhappy endings: Avoid a sad vacation finale Frequent criers: Elite fliers are ruining air travel More Christopher Elliott columns

Airlines insist they need the extra money to cover their fuel costs (here’s what United Airlines had to say when it added the fee) but this probably has almost nothing to do with higher energy prices. Airlines have been waiting for an excuse to add these extras for a long time, and when fuel prices come back down, these fees will almost certainly stick. Just wait and you’ll see.

How to get around it: A lot of so-called travel experts now recommend you send your luggage to your destination using either an overnight service or through one of the pricey luggage shipping companies. But that’s silly. Why ship your luggage when you can still carry it on the plane for free? If you have to carry a second bag, either fly on an airline with a free first-bag allowance, like Continental or Delta, or send the bag by second-day mail. And always do the math. A $15 charge for a bag might be a bargain compared with what the postal service charges.

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