It’s a big day for consumers: Sweeping reforms regulating the credit-card industry go into effect today. Among them: Your card issuer won’t be able to increase the interest rate on an existing balance or charge you fees for over-the-limit transactions without your permission. (The Fed summarizes the changes here.) All major victories for cardholders.

But if you think the world of credit cards is going to be all rainbows and unicorns now, think again.

Banking analyst Ron Shevlin summed it up nicely on American Public Media’s Marketplace show Monday morning:

I would characterize what the future’s going to look like here is the airlinification of the credit card industry. They’ve kind of nickeled and dimed consumers to death.

Airlinification, indeed.

If buying an airline ticket was ever a pleasant experience, it’s hard to remember — because now, it’s fraught with a bevy of increasing fees, poor customer service and a general feeling that airlines have nothing better to do than to come up with creative ways to break into your wallet. (Want to check a bag? It’ll cost you. Paying that fee at the airport? It’ll cost you even more. Need a blanket on your flight? You got it — after you pay 8 bucks.)

So that not-so-warm, not-so-fuzzy feeling you get when dealing with the airlines? Prepare to experience it (even more) with your credit card issuer. Let’s face it: The relationship between cardholders and their banks was never all that great. But now, I have a feeling it’s going to be downright hostile. Card issuers are finding ways to get around the new rules by setting all sorts of new traps. And I don’t think there’s any end in sight. …read more