The answer is too obvious to dignify with a response.

AirTran, with the second largest number of departures out of ATL, announced today that it’s raising its fee for the first checked bag from $15 to $20.  Fair enough — if you don’t like it, don’t check a bag, or you could fly Southwest (not out of ATL,  of course … )

What I liked was the rationale they provided:

AirTran spokesman Tad Hutcheson said the airline is raising the fee because its fuel costs have been increasing.

BS.  They’re raising the fee because they can.  That’s the only reason any business ever raises prices.  Delta has opened up some headroom, and AirTrans absorbed some of it.  Delta is still $3 to $10 more expensive.

American, incidentally, also announced extra fees, in this case, if you want a seat in one of the first rows of coach plus the right to board right after elite level frequent fliers.  At least they didn’t insult us by making up some phony excuse — just a simple business proposition:  If you want it, you can have it, here’s the price.