Seems like Spirit Air may have gone too far with their proposed fees for carry-on bags. The New York Times has posted a Reuters report this morning that the Senate has introduced legislation banning airlines from implementing such fees.

Free-market fans aren’t going to like this. But the bill’s sponsors say that “carry-ons often contain personal items that are important for the safety and health of travelers, including medication, personal care products and eyewear,” according to the Reuters article.

Spirit’s carry on bag charges – up to $45 at the gate, and $30 if passengers choose to pay in advance – were already facing scrutiny before Congress became involved. In an excellent interview with Christopher Elliott and Charlie Leocha last week, Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said that he found the fees “outageous,” adding:  “I’ve told our people to try and figure out a way to mitigate that.”

Elliott also interviewed Spirit Air CEO  Ben Baldanza, who defended the charges as a way to improve customer service. Too much time is currently wasted boarding the plane, as people who are trying to avoid the checked baggage fee bring larger and larger suitcases and items on board, he said. Because people who pay the carry on bag fee will be allowed to board first, “the last people on the plane won’t delay things by looking for space for their bag,” he said.

Hmm. Seems that people aren’t buying it. Travel Weekly had a good article Monday that quotes many travel agents as saying that they won’t recommend the airline anymore to their Caribbean-bound customers. The article also notes that while Spirit advertises itself as a low-priced airline, the total cost of the ticket surpasses other airlines in many cases, once the baggage fees are figured in.

Baldanza continues to defend the fees. In a bizarre video released yesterday, he stuffed himself into an overhead bin to make his point. The segment is meant to be funny, but comes off as desperate and sad, at least in my view. Is this really what flying has come to?

I’m flying Spirit down to St. Thomas on Sunday, for the first and last time. I’m going to ask some of the people around me what they think about the fees – and whether they’ll fly the airline again.