Frontier adds baggage fee, ups antler charge

Soon to be overheard on Frontier flights across the Western U.S.: "That's a beautiful antler rack, fellow passenger. Nine-pointer?"

"Yeah, and the airline charged me $100 to put it in the overhead!"

Yep, Frontier announced this weekend that it will increase its carry-on fee for antlers (yes—antlers) from $75 to $100. Whether or not this unusual fee was meant to distract people from the simultaneous announcement of a more conventional charge ($25 for a second checked bag) is difficult to say, but it seems likely. Both fees go into effect June 10.

Either way, Frontier's passengers will now be charged $25 each way for a second checked bag, and $100 for each rack of antlers carried aboard. Frontier is presently in Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, so these fees shouldn't come as a surprise—even the antler charge, considering Frontier serves a number of popular hunting destinations out West.

Frontier was one of the few remaining low-cost carriers (LCCs) without a second-checked-bag fee, but joins JetBlue, AirTran, and Virgin America as LCCs that assess the charge (AirTran charges $10, JetBlue $20, and Virgin $25). All of the legacy lines have implemented a similar policy. So, with Southwest and Alaska comprising the dwindling low-cost holdouts, how long until free second checked bags are a relic of the past?