releases: http://www.billnelson.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/nelson-presses-airlines-on-increased-holiday-bag-fees
Data license: MIT · Data source: dwillis/congress-press
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| http://www.billnelson.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/nelson-presses-airlines-on-increased-holiday-bag-fees | Nelson presses airlines on increased holiday bag fees | 2015-11-06 | 2015 | 2015-11 | Democrat | House | FL | Bill Nelson | N000032 | www.billnelson.senate.gov | legacy | WASHINGTON, D.C. U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL), the top Democrat on the Senate Commerce Committee, today called on the airline industry to halt any plans they may have to charge increased checked-bag fees during the holidays. Nelson made the call in letters he sent today to the CEOs of all the major U.S. airlines. His move comes on the heels of reports that Spirit and Frontier airlines are going to raise their baggage fees during this years holiday travel season. These increased surcharges fly in the face of declining fuel costs and appear focused on increasing profitability on the backs of American families, Nelson wrote. If your company does plan to impose holiday surcharges, I request that you rescind those plans immediately. Earlier this year, Nelson released a Commerce Committee minority report taking aim at the airline industry for failing to adequately disclose extra fees and add-on costs charged to the flying public. The report made several recommendations, including one requiring checked and carry-on baggage fees to have a clear connection between the costs incurred by the airline and the fees charged. Nelson hopes to include many of the reports recommendations in legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration thats expected to come before the Senate next year. Below is the text of Nelsons letter to the airlines followed by a recent background article on the issue: November 6, 2015 Dear____: According to recent reports, at least two airlines plan to impose holiday surcharges that will increase baggage fees during the peak holiday travel period. These increased surcharges fly in the face of declining fuel costs and appear focused on increasing profitability on the backs of American families. Thats why I am seeking an assurance from your company that you will not impose a holiday surcharge on baggage fees. Furthermore, if your company does plan to impose holiday surcharges, I request that you rescind those plans immediately. In August, Senate Commerce Committee minority staff released a report that found ancillary fees, such as change and cancellation penalties and preferred seating fees, were increasingly keeping consumers in the dark about the true cost of air travel. The report made a number of recommendations, including one requiring ancillary fees to have a clear connection between the cost incurred by the airline and the fee charged. I hope to include many of the reports recommendations in legislation reauthorizing the Federal Aviation Administration thats expected to come before the Senate next year. Thank you for your attention to these concerns. I look forward to receiving your companys response on this important issue no later than November 20, 2015. Sincerely, The 2 Most Fee-Crazed Airlines Are Raising Fees for Holiday Season Flights By Brad Tuttle Published: Nov. 3, 2015 This is how Spirit Airlines gets in the holiday spirit. Traveling during the holiday season can be a nightmare, what with crowded airports, overbooked flights, inflated flight prices, and the constant risk that bad weather could cancel or delay your trip. Now we can add the holiday season surcharge to this list. Last year, Spirit Airlines took the very Grinchy step of adding an extra fee to its baggage fee for checked luggage on flights departing during the holidays. This year, the checked baggage surcharge is back, and worst of all for travelers, Spirit now has company in the utilization of this strategy. So it appears we have an ugly little trend on our hands. As the flight-comparison site FareCompare noted, Frontier Airlinesthe Denver-based carrier thats been following the fee-heavy tactics laid out by Spiritrecently hiked checked and carryon baggage fees by an extra $5 to $10 for flights scheduled anytime between Thanksgiving week and just after new years, as well as peak travel periods in 2016. According to Frontiers website, temporary price increases are in effect for departures from November 19, 2015, through January 5, 2016, as well as February 11 to April 4 and June 9 to August 16 next year. In other words, through mid-August, there only a few weeks (mostly in January, April, and May) when the higher fees are not in effect. And heres the lowdown on the extra fees: Carry On bag prices increase by $5 at booking and up to 24 hours before departure, $10 at Web Check-in, and $5 at the Airport kiosk or ticket counter; 1st Checked Bag increases by $5 at Flyfrontier.com, at booking and up to 24 hours before departure and increases by $10 at call center, web check-in, and airport ticket counter or self-service kiosk. 2nd Checked Bag prices increase by $10. Compared with Frontier, Spirit seems less cruel, seeing as its only hiking fees for checked baggage (not carryons, which will be subject to normal fees), and only during the comparatively smaller travel window of December 16 to January 4. Normally, Spirit charges $30 for checking a bag when booking a flight, $35 before online check-in, $40 during online check-in, and $50 at airport check-in. (Yes, annoyingly, theres a different fee for each possibility.) But for flights around Christmas and New Years all of the above options cost $2 extra. Spirit attempted to argue a year ago that the baggage surcharge wasnt really about the money. To make sure we have room for everyones bags, were encouraging customers to pack a bit lighter, the airline said when introducing the new feewhich was supposed to be a disincentive to check baggage, rather than an opportunistic cash grab. Right. This time around, neither Spirit nor Frontier is bothering to make such claims. Spirit simply told FareCompare that Christmas and New Years is a very high demand period for the airline. And when demand is high, prices (and fees) tend to be high too. Curiously, while Frontier Airlines is milking peak-season passengers with higher baggage fees, it is also trying to appear generous to these same holiday season travelers via a special frequent-flier bonus promotion. The Denver Post reported that Frontier is attempting to win over travelers by offering double frequent flier miles for all new bookings made now through December 31. The double miles are way for us to thank customers for their loyalty and to entice new customers to try us, an airline representative said. For any of these new customers to become loyal ones, theyll have to be comfortable doing business with an airline that piles on the fees whenever it can. | 1 | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z | 2026-03-30T12:14:52Z |