The news that Spirit Airlines will charge up to $45 for a carry-on bag, that American Airlines will take $8 for a pillow and blanket, and that Ryanair is toying with toilet fees, may not be unwelcome news at U.S. rail line Amtrak, which announced today that its ridership numbers for the first six months of fiscal year 2010 were up 4.3% and on pace to establish a new annual record.
From October 2009 through March, the first two quarters of fiscal year 2010, Amtrak hosted 13.6 million passengers on its U.S. and Canada routes. That's about 100,000 more passengers than the first six months of fiscal year 2008, when Amtrak established a record 28.7 million passengers for the year.
Amtrak doesn't tie the upsurge in ridership to airline bag fees, of course, as there likely are many factors contributing to the rail uptick.
But, that hasn't stopped Amtrak from musing in one of the following YouTube videos, "Why is travel these days about what you give up and not what you get?" There also are numerous references to "basics" like having conveniently located electrical outlets to power your gadgets, ample legroom and food when you are hungry.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo74XXWWsNM
Amtrak notes that for its Acela and Northeast Regional service, passengers can check two bags and a personal item like a purse or briefcase for free.
On long-distance trains with baggage cars, passengers can check up to three bags for free.
And, on the Auto Train from Lorton, Va., to Sanford, Fla., the only limits to how much luggage you can get on the train for free is how many bags you can stuff into your car.
So, pack your bags for free check-in and, as they say in Amtrak land, "Enjoy the journey."