Large and small U.S. airlines were criticized by a Senate subcommittee on Tuesday for charging to select seats on flights.
The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations reported that between 2018 and 2023, American, Delta, United, Spirit, and Frontier brought in $12.4 billion in seating fees, including for seats with extra legroom and those in preferred locations closer to the front of the plane, or window or aisle seats.
According to the report, United’s revenue from seating fees reached $1.3 billion last year, surpassing revenue from checked bags for the first time since at least 2018.
Standard economy tickets no longer require a ticket change fee, however the majority of major U.S. airlines have introduced fees for choosing more popular or spacious seats. In an effort to boost revenue, carriers have also been vying to add more premium seats.
For the Biden administration, eliminating so-called garbage fees has been a top focus. The subcommittee’s head, Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., stated that airline executives have been asked to testify regarding the practice at a hearing titled “The Sky’s the Limit: New Revelations About Airline Fees” on December 4.
Customers may now choose what they want to pay for onboard, and air travel has grown more cheap, according to Airlines for America, a trade group that represents the biggest U.S. carriers.
The subcommittee’s failure to comprehend the value that the fiercely competitive U.S. airline industry offers to both customers and employees is evident throughout the study. Instead, the group claimed that the report is just another talking point about vacation travel.
According to the research, Spirit and Frontier, two low-cost airlines, paid gate agents $26 million between 2022 and 2023 to apprehend passengers who were allegedly violating airline baggage restrictions. These passengers were frequently forced to pay a bag fee or miss their flight.
Spirit stated in a statement that we adhere to all tax laws and regulations, are open and honest about our products and prices, and have fair and equal treatment for all guests at the airport.
In order to ensure that all customers, including the majority who follow the rules, are treated equally and fairly, Frontier stated that the commissions paid to gate agents are merely intended to encourage team members to ensure adherence to bag size regulations.
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