Should Airlines be Prohibited From Imposing "Ridiculous" Fees? (S. 1037)

What is S. 1037?

(Updated December 3, 2019)

This bill ― known as the FAIR Fees Act ― would forbid airlines from imposing “ridiculous” fees on consumers by prohibiting airlines from charging fees that are unreasonable or disproportionate relative to the costs incurred based on regulations to be established by the Dept. of Transportation. Airlines would only be authorized to charge fees that cover the costs of the baggage handlers, ticket agents, the baggage processing or anything that reasonably pertains to checking a bag.

The bill’s full title is the Forbid Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous Fees Act of 2017.

Argument in favor

This bill would prevent airlines from imposing excessive fees on consumers, thus ensuring air travel remains as affordable as possible.

Argument opposed

Airlines are imposing “ridiculous” fees on consumers because they’re over-regulated and have to pass on the cost of complying with so many rules.

Impact

Consumers; airlines; and the Dept. of Transportation.

Cost of S. 1037

A CBO cost estimate is unavailable.

Additional Info

In-Depth: Introduced by Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA), the Forbidding Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous (FAIR) Fees Act seeks to prevent burdensome fees from raising the cost of air travel for consumers:

“Airlines fees are as high as the planes passengers are traveling on, and it’s time to stop their rapid ascent. In recent years, fees and ticket prices have gone up despite the fact that gas prices and airline choices have gone down.”

“This measure will ground the soaring, gouging fees that contribute to airlines’ record profits and passengers’ rising pain,” said the bill’s sole cosponsor Senator Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. “With all the frills of flying already gone, airlines are increasingly resorting to nickel and diming consumers with outrageous fees.”

Several interest groups have come out in favor of this bill, including the: National Consumers League; National Association of Airline Passengers; Consumers Union; Consumers Action; Travelers United; Travelers’ Voice; U.S. Public Interest Group; and the Consumer Federation of America.

Of Note: In recent years, airlines have increasingly charged consumers fees for basic aviation services, including checking a bag and changing or canceling a flight reservation. A recent investigation by the minority staff of the U.S. Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee found that of the eight carriers the Committee queried three increased checked baggage fees by 67 percent between 2009 and 2014.

Media:

• Sponsoring Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) Press Release