tonight on "nightline," fee for all. food, blankets, even that little space in the overhead bins. these days, the airlines charge for even the most basic amenities. so, how much is that ticket you're thinking of buying really going to cost you? and, daddy boot camp. it was having a son without an owner's manual, so, he wrote one. the extremes one self-described girly man went through to become macho, all to be a better man. >> to manliness. >> to manliness. plus, switching with sharks. it's been called the most dangerous sport in the world. we take you into the blue and deep inside the world of free diving, where every breath counts. >> announcer: from the global resources of abc news, with terry moran, cynthia mcfadden

and bill weir in new york city, this is "nightline," may 25th, 2012. >> good terry moran. well, flying these days is often called taking the bus in the sky. reference to the not so elegant experience of security lines, middle seats and most of all, those annoying fees. everything from meals to blankets, even that little overhead bin space. now, a way for the airlines to make more money. so, why have carriers taken such extreme measures and what can you do to avoid them? here's john donvan. >> reporter: these doors at the airport terminal, they used to be the gateway to adventure. now, when you get here, it's more the moment of truth. just how much is that flight you thought you paid for really going to cost you? because they are adding on fees for everything. to choose your own seat ahead of time. to get a pillow and blanket on board. to watch a movie. to be handed a bottle of water.

and last month, to carry on your own bag. you are doing the heavy letting. but the price you pay for the privilege of storing it in the overhead, $10 to $35. not quite as high as spirit's carry-on price. $20 to $45. they've been charging for carry-ons since 2010. and which airline is going to be next? >> we are probably a few years away from other airlines following, but honestly, we're probably not that far off. i think a lot of the airlines aren't going to have much of a choice to do this. many of them are losing money if the fees aren't there. >> reporter: of course, a key reason people carried on in the first place was to avoid the baggage charges that have been creeping up in recent years. all you want to do is bring your clets, but on united, you'll pail $100 for a third bag on an overseas flight. while delta is charging $125 and american, $150. lately, there is the book your seat ahead of time fee. an extra charge per seat at time of booking on some sections of

airlines to avoid the middle seat or just to make sure you and your spouse can sit next to each other. in total, the airline industry brought in $2.6 billion in the first three quarters of 2011, with all of these add-on fees. >> delta has brought in $656 million in just baggage fees alone. they are the leading airline when it comes to change ticket fees. >> reporter: but these fees really diss the idea of the discount ticket. example. a round trip on us air, new york to london in november, where a good discount fair price, one that you buy well in advance with limited flexibility, recently priced out at $658. but add two suitcases and the price goes up $70, in each direction. and a third suitcase? that's another $200 going and coming. add the $263 tax, which us airwakes does not get to keep, and the total price of that $658 trip has gone up to $1,434. this really makes the airlines

unpopular. so, why do they do this to us? >> what's in it for the airlines with all of these feels is extra revenue. they have no choice but to put out all of these extra feels because they'd be losing money otherwise. >> reporter: and the great cost to airlines and one that is almost beyond their control is fuel. the price of oil. which is why delta is actually looking at buying its own refinery so that it can make its own fuel. yes, the airlines need the money. but for this to work, they need us to believe that what used to be included is now a frill. as though all they have to do is deliver your body in one piece on time to your destination and anything beyond that is a frill. so, what if restaurants tried this? say they delivered the food to some place near your mouth. but if you want a knife and fork to eat with it, oh, that's $10. a basket of bread to go with it? $8. a napkin. $14. we would rebel. or at least go elsewhere, right?

but there's not a whole lot of elsewhere to go when it comes to flying. and there may yet to be whole range of so-called free services on board that they can still start charging for. ireland's ryan air made some noises about charges for the use of toilets. after the outcry, they said they never really meant it. but now management is pressing for a change in the law so that heavier weighing passengers have to pay higher prices. at least we can see this stuff coming more clearly, since a new law requires airlines to tell us up front about the taxes and other stuff built into the price, which their ads used to leave out. look at this. some like delta. one price, period. as though that's a boast. so, if you still want to take along what used to be included in the price, carry it on. carry on your own food and your own pillow and your own movies and your own water. carry on. just for the frill of it. unless they hit you with one of those carry-on charges. i'm john donvan nor untfor "nig

in washington. >> the high cost of flying these dales going up. thanks to john for that. and up next, why are these two men cage fighting? and what does it have to do with being a better dad? we'll tell you, in a minute. the new taurus is going to blow people away... starting with the guys who built it. this taurus is pretty serious. i can't believe they're actually going to let me drive it. all right, it's got what? 360 horsepower. 365 horsepower. let's see what that feels like. so this is 365 horsepower. all while delivering really great fuel economy. so we're getting great fuel economy? cuz that's what i'm thinking about right now.

before i started taking abilify, i was taking an antidepressant alone. most days i could get out from under and carry on. but other days i still struggled with my depression. i was handling it... but sometimes it still dragged me down. i'd been feeling stuck for a long time. so i talked to my doctor and she added abilify to my antidepressant. she said it could help with my depression, and that some people had symptom improvement as early as 1 to 2 weeks. i'm glad i talked to her. i wish i'd done it sooner. now i feel more in control of my depression. [ female announcer ] abilify is not for everyone. call your doctor if your depression worsens or you have unusual changes in behavior,

or thoughts of suicide. antidepressants can increase these in children, teens, and young adults. elderly dementia patients taking abilify have an increased risk of death or stroke. call your doctor if you have high fever, stiff muscles, and confusion to address a possible life-threatening condition. or if you have uncontrollable muscle movements, as these could become permanent. high blood sugar has been reported with abilify and medicines like it and in extreme cases can lead to coma or death. other risks include increased cholesterol, weight gain, decreases in white blood cells, which can be serious, dizziness on standing, seizures, trouble swallowing, and impaired judgment or motor skills. depression was always hanging over me. then my doctor added abilify to my antidepressant. now i feel better. [ female announcer ] if you're still struggling with depression talk to your doctor to see if the option of adding abilify is right for you. and be sure to ask about the free trial offer.

>> announcer: "nightline" continues from new york city with terry moran. >> so, what does a lover of chick flicks and hater of campicamp ing do when he learns he's having a son? well, for one guy who describes himself as a, quote, girly man, it meant embarking on a hilarious quest for the basics of masculinity, everything from gun shooting to scotch-tasting. and even he was surprised at what he learned. here's abc's david wright. >> as soon as we touch up, it's on. ready? go! >> reporter: when i first agreed to interview author joel stein about his new book -- >> use the cage, cage is legal. >> reporter: i didn't expect it to end up in a cage match. oh! an author interview as mixed martial arts grappling session. oh, no. best of three. >> no!

>> reporter: totally been hustled. more on that contest in a moment. i have a bone to pick with you. >> already? >> reporter: yes. you acted like this was your first time with mma thing and you've done this before. >> i told you that. you went in knowing that. >> reporter: indeed, stein's new book is all about his effort to man up. >> oh! >> reporter: ahead of the birth of his son. you see, joel stein is not what you'd call a manly man. >> daddy doesn't even know how to drive this car. >> reporter: he's proudly progressive. partial to chick flicks. frankly, he was worried whether he was up to the job of raising a son. >> when i found out we were having a boy, i freaked out when i saw the penis on the sonogram. i grew up in the '70s with a feminist mom, listening to "free to be you and me." >> reporter: you were not

exactly an eagle scout? >> my mom thought the boy scouts were a fascist organization. i heard that a lot of the stuff they did was outdoors. not comfortable, in a tent. >> reporter: no. >> no. they should invent a better system, like a hotel. >> reporter: so, in his new book, he set out to change that. he tried to tackle all the guy things his own childhood lacked. including testing his courage in the wilderness. >> should we leave? >> just stay here. >> why is he coming towards us? to eat us? >> reporter: doing basic training with the army. >> let's go, stein! >> reporter: learning to drink scotch and talk sports? >> always complain about the referee's call. he is always wrong and he is stupid and you are right. >> reporter: and, of course, learning how to handle himself in a fight. >> have you been in a street fight? >> reporter: define street fight. which is how we found ourselves at true warrior fitness. okay, so, truth be told, neither of us is exactly earnest

hemingway. i feel like i'm red dill for tattoos now. >> you don't have any? >> reporter: not yet. maybe it's just because i didn't get stuck with the pink gloves, but i'm feeling okay. >> i feel like i'm getting my ass kicked. >> reporter: web, this is not joem's first time in the ring. he's done mixed martial arts before, researching the book. >> it was not very mr. miyagi. >> wax on, back owax off. >> he got the guy to choke mel out. >> reporter: how did that feel? >> awful. i couldn't swallow that night. >> reporter: that was just the appetizer. for the main course, kix boxer randy couture give him a sust n sustained pounding. >> it's awful to watch. >> reporter: but as they say, no pain, no gain. stein clearly learned something. >> come on, joel. you have to work him, joel. >> reporter: no. in our best of three cage match, it's even steven until -- >> no!

>> reporter: joel comes out the winner. >> some people lost a lot of money. >> reporter: you feel more comfortable in your manliness now? you read a lot more hemingway? >> it sounds ridiculous, but i do feel a little manlier. >> reporter: do you feel like you are a better dad now? >> yeah, i feel like i'm better prepared to be a dad. because i will introduce him to new things. even if he thinks the book is stupid, i think he will appreciate that i'm going to take him camping. >> reporter: to manliness. now, i have three daughters. i want you to see a little bit of my world. >> all right. >> reporter: and then we'll compare notes. but i like your world. so, our day ended at the plush beauty bar. >> what do you think about this? >> weird. >> yeah. little weird. >> reporter: where our kids picked out the colors for our toes. >> sparkly red. >> reporter: that's very nice. in my case, the rainbow. and joel? yellow and black. >> he's a huge pittsburgh

steelers fan. >> reporter: he is? >> yeah, classic '70s steelers. >> reporter: even at the beauty bar, it's clear joel stein is a new man. >> it's weird looking at your toes painted. kind of like looking down and seeping a vagina. >> reporter: i'm david wright for "nightline" in west hollywood. >> oh. david wright. thanks very much for that reporting there. coming up, it doesn't get more extreme than this. going deep and swimming with sharks. what about over here?

sure. no problem. ♪

roar! alright, what do lions eat? ♪ finally, for many this

holiday weekend it marks the kickoff of the summer beach season. but for a hardy few, that seaside experience means an extreme sport. one that involves holding your breath for several minutes and plunging deep into the ocean and braving one other thing -- sharks. welcome to the incredible world of deep diving. here's jeffrey kofman. >> reporter: talk about pushing the limit. free divers william and fred can hold their breath for four or five minutes. and they do it while swimming with sharks. why do you do this? >> it's an opportunity to find occupant where my limits are. explore the potential. >> reporter: to get a sense of this extreme, extreme sport, we travel to greece. >> two minutes dive time. >> reporter: site of the international freel diving championships. here, it's not just about holding your breath under water, it's about suppressing your fear, as you endure crushing

undersea pressure. william suggests i try it. >> don't let the air out. >> reporter: when do i? when i panic? >> no, no. you don't panic. you let the air out when you are back at the surface. >> reporter: you make it look so easy. graceful, i'm not. even with an expert at my side, it is impossible for me to stifle the urge to breathe. i'm up against powerful mental and physical barriers and i'm losi losing. >> put your mask on and -- >> reporter: a few feet away, diver mark the ghon statements the confidence that i clearly lack. he's riding a weighed water sled that will take him down 705 feet. he's riding a rocket down a rope at a pretty high speed. it's completely defying logic, what i just saw. >> reporter: three minutes later, mark emerges from the

deep. how was it? >> like a rebirth. >> reporter: it's about challenge, but it is also about thrill. the rush of a near death experience. but you can get into a lot of trouble doing this. the pressure and the lack of oxygen mean blackouts under water are common. these guys revive, but there have been more than a few deaths. in the championship final, a man slammed down a staggering 383 feet to win the men's competition. but william and fred take the discipline a giant step further. free diving with dangerous and endangered animals. what's the sensation, when you are down there, how do you describe the feeling? >> you don't think about the fact that you're not breathing, that you are deep, that you need a air. the animals can come closer to you. they don't feel me around them. >> reporter: talk about

suppressing fear. this daring duo passionately believes that sharks are not the vicious killers portrayed in the movies. your business card says? >> shark publicist. >> reporter: shark publicist? >> yeah. >> reporter: what's that about? >> that's about giving people an alternative perspective on sharks. you know, the easy sell to prey on people's fear is that these are voracious man eaters that are lurking in the depths of the dark sea hunting us and that's not the reality. >> reporter: pushing the limits of endurance, they get a window on themselves and the sea that most of us could never imagine. i'm jeffrey kofman for "nightline" in greece. >> that is a remarkable discipline. no one i'm going to try. thanks to jeffry for that. and thank you for watching abc news. we hope you check in for "good morning america." we are always online at abcnews.com. jimmy kimmel is up next. we'll see you here monday.