Airlines' Checked-bag Fees: Bad for Security?

Checked-bag fees aren't just a financial hassle--according to the director of the Transportation Security Administration, they may also be compromising the safety of U.S. flights.

John Pistole on Friday explained during a speech that checked-bag fees only encourage passengers to overpack their carry-on bags. Often, he said, these bags are so densely packed that TSA's imaging machines cannot see into them to detect harmful objects.

“It’s harder to inspect what’s in there,” Pistole said. “When you hear about things getting through security, that’s part of the reason why.”

On top of that concern, the U.S. Travel Association earlier this year expressed worry over checked-bag fees' effect on the security screen line. The more passengers with overly packed carry-on bags, the longer the security line--and the less time TSA officers have for screening everyone else.

Tell us what you think: Do the checked-bag fees have an effect on security? Or are they just maddening?