Just weeks ago we read and heard about the new bag fees being imposed by many airlines. Consumer watchdogs were outraged at how “unfair” the fees are. But as this USA Today story illustrates, entrepreneurs respond to what others do and to how consumers react.

Clearly, some hotels see the move by airlines as an opportunity for hotels to pick up customers. It’s smart business and a great example of why consumers win — sometimes right now, sometimes later — in a competitive, free marketplace where those offering products and services respond to the wants and needs of those buying products and services.

Hoping to cash in on a common traveler complaint, some hotel companies are offering to pay for the checked-baggage fees charged by some U.S. airlines.

Kimpton Hotels and chains run by InterContinental Hotels Group, including Holiday Inn, introduced the promotion to spur weekend and leisure business.