Although oil prices have plunged to a three-month low, its effects won't be felt in many areas---including the airline industry. For them, much of the financial damage has already been done by staggering fuel cost increases.

To offset that, many airlines have starting charging fees for everything from baggage to leg room.

Those fees that add up to millions of dollars in additional revenue, but, as NBC17 found at RDU, as the fees increase, the numbers of travelers willing to pay for them decreases.

"It seems kind of crazy to buy an expensive plane ticket and then having to pay for extra things," said traveler Emily Sadtler. Having just returned from a vacation trip to Hartford, Connecticut, she said she'll probably cut back on her traveling because of the higher costs.

Baggage was one of the first areas airlines mined for additional fees, but not the only area.

Monday, Jetblue added to the list of things airlines are charging for by instituting a $7-dollar fee for pillows or a blanket.

Those charges may help airlines deal with rising fuel costs, but they're alienating the traveling public.

"We have to be charged extra for everything, and I think it's ridiculous,' complained traveler Jennifer Belesquez.

For that reason, she says her flight to Wisconsin from Raleigh will be the last time she and her 13-week-old puppy Miss Bella make the trip by air.

"I'm driving back next time around," she maintained "It's easier than paying an extra fee to get her on the plane, and being charged extra for my bag.

The additional fees are also changing the way they some folks travel by air.

Shannon Carter and her husband drove from Bristol, Tenn. to RDU in order to fly to Key West, Fla. for a vacation.

"We decided to drive to here because it was too expensive to fly out of Bristol, Tennessee," she explained.

And, to save even more money on their return from Key West, Shannon said she and her husband won't fly at all; they'll drive home.

"It cost us $800 dollars per ticket each way. So, we saved $800 dollars by not doing return tickets," she said. "Even with gas, rental car and everything we still only paid $800 dollars."

Meanwhile, industry analysts believe the airlines will continue to explore revenue enhancement by coming up with additional fees in the months to come.

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