Airlines Collected Record Baggage Fees In 2012
NEW YORK (CBSDFW.COM/AP) -- U.S. airlines collected more than $6 billion in baggage and reservation change fees from passengers last year -- the highest amount since the fees became common five years ago.
These fees, along with charges for boarding early or picking prime seats, have helped return the industry to profitability.
Airlines started charging for a first checked suitcase in 2008 and the fees have climbed since. Airlines typically charge $25 each way for the first checked bag, $35 for the second bag and then various extra amounts for overweight or oversized bags.
In November, discount carrier Spirit Airlines introduced a fee structure that requires customers pay as much as $100 for carry-on bags paid for at the boarding gate.
The nation's 15 largest carriers collected a combined $3.5 billion in bag fees in 2012, up 3.8 percent from 2011, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. Reservation change fees totaled $2.6 billion, up 7.3 percent.
Travel industry officials complain that the complex fee structures have made it difficult for travelers to know the true price of air fares, especially when purchased online. Federal regulators have considered forcing airlines to reveal prices for baggage and other fees to online sellers like Orbitz and Expedia.
(©2013 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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