President Joe Biden reaffirmed his push to crack down on what he calls “junk” fees by airlines during the State of the Union address Tuesday. Biden pledged to compel the carriers, along with resorts and other service companies like banks and ticket sellers, to make their price structures more transparent.Â
To that end, the Department of Transportation has already proposed a rule that would require airlines and online booking platforms to show the total price of a ticket upfront, including baggage and other fees. Biden also said that hidden “resort fees” that hotels commonly charge should be banned as well.Â
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Here’s what to know about what the Biden administration is doing on airline fees and other related charges:
What did the president say about airline fees?
In his speech, Biden said that airline fees were demeaning to customers and unfairly made them pay higher prices than they may have been prepared to when they booked.
“We’re making airlines show you the full ticket price upfront and refund your money if your flight is canceled or delayed,” he said. “And we’ll prohibit airlines from charging up to $50 roundtrip for families just to sit together. Baggage fees are bad enough – they can’t just treat your child like a piece of luggage.”
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How is his administration tackling those fees?
Biden has directed various regulatory agencies to implement new rules that would make pricing more transparent. Beyond the DOT proposal for airlines, the president also asked regulators to look at hotel, bank, credit card, ticket sales, and other common fees that are often not disclosed in the list price for a service.Â
Does every airline charge the same fees?
No. Every airline has its own fee structure. Many large carriers like American, Delta and United charge similar bag fees, around $30 for the first checked bag for non-elite economy passengers on domestic flights.
Many airlines also charge non-frequent flyers a fee for seat selection in economy which Biden referenced in his speech.
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Low-cost carriers like Spirit and Frontier typically charge more for baggage than the so-called legacy carriers, and also have more services that come at an extra charge, including carry-on luggage, onboard food and snacks and seat selection.
Those airlines also typically charge more for those add-ons the closer you get to departure. Â
For example, Spirit will charge you $66 for a carry-on bag if you pay while booking a flight from Boston to Los Angeles, but that price rises at different stages before your trip and caps out at $99 if you still haven’t paid by the time you get to the gate. Checked baggage on the same trip starts at $56 for the first bag.
Story Credit: usatoday.com