What are airline ‘junk fees,’ and what does President Biden plan to do about them?
during his State of the Union address last week.
Here’s what travelers need to know about what those fees are and why airlines charge them.
Here’s why
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What are airline ‘junk fees’?
” ‘Junk fees’ (is) a delicious turn of phrase that encompasses a bunch of different types of fees that I think really irk people,” said Scott Keyes, founder of Going, formerly known as Scott’s Cheap Flights. While he said the phrasing is “a little bit of Rorschach test” for the types of extra charges that most annoy an individual traveler, in an air travel context, it could include costs like seat selection fees, which may not be clear to customers when they first see a fare.
ask a fellow passenger to swap with you after you board.
“The airlines don’t necessarily want to highlight the ways that families can sit together because that would rob them of a potential revenue source, all those families today who are just going ahead and paying the money to reserve their seats because they don’t want to take the risk that they could be separated on the plane,” he said.
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What is the Biden administration doing about ‘junk fees’?
The Department of Transportation proposed a rule late last year that would force airlines and online booking platforms to clearly disclose fees to travelers early in the booking process alongside fare and schedule information. The DOT previously added a similar rule requiring airlines to include all taxes in the first mention of a fare when advertised.
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Beyond the DOT proposal for airlines, Biden 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.
“We’re making airlines show you the full ticket price upfront and refund your money if your flight is canceled or delayed,” Biden said during his State of the Union speech. “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.”
Contributing: Zach Wichter, USA TODAY