Reading Marc Friedman on Examiner, I notice how right he is.

“In the past week Delta, Continental, United and US Airways all raised their fees for checking your bags with them.” For example, American Airlines, looking to goose revenue in a recessionary environment, plans to raise checked-bag fees on U.S. domestic itineraries by $5.

“To add insult to injury, airlines around the globe are implementing all kinds of cuckoo fees in lieu of raising fares, and some of these fees are bound to find their way to our shores. [...] There are also fees for choosing in advance where you’d like to sit. Other new frequent flier fees are becoming more the norm, where redemption of frequent flyer miles on shorter notice than say, 14 days before departure costs more than if you make your plans a month out.Does this one make any sense to anyone out there?”

OK, the recession, the swine flu scare and rising fuel prices have hammered the airlines results.
My guess is none of these fees will solve the airlines’ problems.