Airline Junk Fees – A Villain May Smile and Smile

Imagine sitting down to a meal at a restaurant. The food is delivered and looks amazing. You are hungry and ready to dig in. The only problem is that you soon discover that a fork costs extra. So does a knife. Want a napkin? That will be an additional fee. You’ve ordered from the menu and agreed to the printed price, but all you’ve bought is the food and absolutely nothing else. Airline junk fees!

Such is the state of airline travel these days, and many travelers are sick of it. We still use the airlines, of course, because we have to. But being nickeled and dimed over coach class seating arrangements and luggage is starting to grate. Airline junk fees!

Fortunately, even in the current world of legislative disfunction, Congress has turned at least some attention to the silly airline junk fees. Yesterday, the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations grilled several airline executives over how such fees are justified and calculated. Perhaps the interest is sparked because elected officials in Washington must frequently use the airlines themselves.

Whatever the reason, the committee addressed issues such as additional fees for early boarding, baggage fees, fees for choosing seats, fees for changing or canceling booked travel, and bonuses paid to airline employees for identifying carry-on bags too big to fit under a seat – this of, course would result in a checked bag fee being paid to the airline.

And the fees add up. ABC News reports that U.S. airlines raked in more than $7 billion dollars in checked bag fees last year, and another $12 billion in seat fees. Of course, the executives offered well-rehearsed explanations and justifications, but at the end of the day, it simply boils down to the fleecing of the flying public who have no choice but to pay.

Hopefully, the anger expressed by committee members will translate into some kind of action that will end up benefiting American travelers. Such regulations take time, however, and meanwhile, we are all stuck with the out-of-control profiteering of commercial airlines. But it seems for now, anyway, airline junk fees are on the congressional radar.