Canadian airlines cashing in on first checked bag fee

New numbers released Tuesday morning are painting a much more clear picture as to just how many Canadians are paying to check their first bag while flying.

According to WestJet, revenue is up and it’s on track to achieving the 80 to 100 million dollars they had projected for the $25 dollar fee in it’s first year.

The airline had told travelers it would be instituting the policy to help provide cheaper fares to customers.

Mel Fruitman, Vice President of the Consumer’s Association of Canada doesn’t buy the reasoning.

“If they were making it for the customer in order to be able to offer the cheaper fees than it should be revenue neutral, one wouldn’t expect them to be able to project $80 to 100 Million dollars in profit, so clearly it is to put more money into their coffers,” he said.

“I think we’re doomed to have airlines charge us as much as they can get away with, that’s the name of the game isn’t it, they charge us with fuel charges and everything else,” he said. “Fuel charges seem to be coming down and I don’t see any corresponding reductions related to that, they’re in business to make profit and they want to make as big of a profit off us as they can.”

Fruitman says the one thing it’s done, is change the way we travel, forcing many Canadians to throw as much as they can into their carry-on in the overhead bin.

“The next move now will be to further limit carry-on bags, they’ve already done that of course and a few years ago reduced the size of carry-on bags.”

Travel Agent Lesley Keyter, of the “Travel Lady” tells 660News the initial feeling from many of her clients over the past three months has been one of shock.

“There are more and more charges coming through and the problem is as well, they’re really getting strict on carry-on, so it’s difficult for those who choose not to check a bag,” she said. “They got you, pretty much anywhere you go really.”

“A lot of businessmen are quite savvy about this and they will go with a carry-on, but when it comes to going away and spending a long weekend with family, maybe people are not that geared up and feel that they need their bags, especially in winter, we have a lot more clothing we have to take with us, so it’s pretty tough,” she said. “People at this stage, they just shrug their shoulders and say they don’t have much option, if this is what it’s going to cost than I’ll have to pay for it.”

“We’re kinda stuck with it, so it’s a case of suck it up, we have no options,” said Keyter.

Air Canada won’t be releasing its figures until February 11th, 2015.