Monday, April 19, 2010

Airline Fees

Five major airlines have agreed not to follow Spirit Airlines in instituting fees for carry-on luggage. New York Senator Charles Schumer said he was hopeful other airlines would agree not to add extra fees for people that are flying. Schumer said American, Delta, Jet Blue, United and US Air are the airlines that will not be adding extra fees. He decided to reach out to the company CEOs after Spirit Airlines announced it would start charging up to $45 each way for passengers who bring a bag on board and put it in the overhead compartment. He is trying to make the fees nonexistent so people don't have to pay anymore money than they already are. The carry-on has been a known luggage that people bring to their seats with them and it's something they normally don't have to pay to have. Especially if you're only going away for a couple days, why would you want a huge bag? It makes sense for you to only bring a carry-on and bring it to your seat with you so you don't have to pay for it.
Since 2008, fliers have had to deal with a lot of extra charges being tacked onto their bills just so the airlines could make some extra cash with the slow economy. They have faced charges for everything from food to getting their luggage checked, adding the carry-on fee is making Spirit Airlines seems a little extreme in what they are charging people to fly. Right now, many airlines are trying to attract as many people as they can to fly with them, so adding a carry-on fee would be a very mad move because the flier can easily find another flight through a cheaper airline. Schumer and five other Democratic Senators: Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, Ben Cardin of Maryland, Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Rober Menendex&Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey are supporting legislation that would tax airlines if they charged carry-on fees. Schumer is planning to talk to the Spirit Airline CEO as soon as he can because he doesn't think it's right to charge people anymore than what they are already being charged. Flying is such a hassle for everyone, so why not make it a little easier by reducing the fees. Schumer said that the legislation would move forward until it becomes clear that no airline will institute the charges.
Do you think airlines have too many charges?

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