Senate report slams airlines for raking in billions in seat fees

Source: NBC News

Nov. 26, 2024, 11:58 AM EST / Source: CNBC


A Senate subcommittee on Tuesday slammed U.S. airlines large and small over fees to pick seats on flights.

Between 2018 and 2023 American, Delta, United, Spirit and Frontier brought in $12.4 billion in seating fees, including for seats with extra legroom as well as those in “preferred” locations that are closer to the front of the plane, or window or aisle seats, said the report from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations.

Last year, United’s revenue from seating fees totaled $1.3 billion, the first time since at least 2018 that category surpassed checked bag fee revenue, the report said. While most major U.S. airlines have gotten rid of ticket-change fees for standard economy tickets, they have added fees to select more popular or roomier seats on board. Carriers have also been racing to add more premium seats on board to increase revenue.

Stamping out so-called junk fees has been a priority for the Biden administration. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., the subcommittee’s chair, said airline executives have been called to testify about the practice at a Dec. 4 hearing called “The Sky’s the Limit—New Revelations About Airline Fees.”

Read more: https://www.nbcnews.com/business/travel/senate-report-slams-airlines-raking-billions-seat-fees-rcna181848