THE word “glamorous” hasn’t applied to air travel for quite some time. But passengers like Leo Lanoie, 59, a doctor in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, remember when it did. He recalls merry flights when even coach-class travelers could drink all the cocktails they wanted, gratis, and when the only complaint was that Air Canada served merely steak, not a choice of entrees.

Only five years ago, airline passengers could expect a free meal on many flights, along with a pillow, a blanket and a choice of magazines. These days, even business class can be less plush. The linen tablecloths were missing on a recent Northwest Airlines flight from Detroit to London — the catering crew did not put them on board the plane, one flight attendant explained — and the warm bread promised for breakfast on the printed menu turned out to be a cold cheese Danish.

BUT those are minor complaints, compared with the major adjustments that passengers have had to make of late. First, five airlines decided in April to begin charging passengers $25 to check a second bag and even more to check a third bag, depending on the carrier. Then, US Airways, American and United announced that travelers would pay $15 to check their first suitcase. (Spirit Airlines, a low-fare carrier, already charged for baggage checks.)

“I suppose people are generally acting like they’re O.K. with the fees because they don’t feel like they have a choice,” said Mr. Lanoie, who flew through Chicago on United recently. “All the airlines are doing it, so it’s not as though you can just take your business elsewhere.”

Such a sense of helplessness is widespread, said Banwari Mittal, a professor of marketing at Northern Kentucky University and an expert on consumer behavior.