We ’ve all been there : sit on a travelling bag , run down from attempt to pack together a trip ’s Charles Frederick Worth of gear down to carry - on size , and realise dejectedly that it ’s not going to happen . Or maybe you ’re one of those people who have neither the time nor the forbearance to cram everything into a carry - on and would rather say , " Screw it , I ’ll just tick the bag . "
In either scenario , you ’ve had to eat that check - purse fee –a $ 25 expense on most US airlinesnowadays . For most travelers , handing over $ 25 or $ 20 here and there wo n’t make or break a slip . But for US airlines , those checked - bag fees have added up over the eld to one vast reservoir of taxation .
We ran the numbers , in fact , and noticed a surprising fact . Since 2007 , when theUS Department of Transportationbegan cut across this statistic , to the first tail of 2016 , all US airline business combine have collected a amount of $ 26.2 billion in checked - bag fees – rivaling the $ 27.8 billion worth ofDelta Air Lines , the most worthful airline business in the country .
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Every year since 2007 , US air hose have collected more in baggage fee in the 2nd one-fourth of the year than in the first quartern , whichthis year brought in $ 974.5 million . divisor in 2nd - quarter udder fees , plus the tail end of the summer travel season , and we ’re willing to put our money on this outcome : by now , US air hose cumulatively have collected enough in baggage fee to purchase any airway in the United States , in straight cash money .
These fees are a continuing bonanza for airlines
What does the success of bag fee imply for you , the nickel - and - dimed air traveller ? It means there ’s not a lot you could do to obviate them , aside from packing light or booking Southwest .
Many US airlines come out charging checked - bag fee in 2007 and 2008 , under the auspices of covering high fuel monetary value . American Airlines was the first legacy attack aircraft carrier to start with a $ 15 fee for the first dish , according toAnne McDermott at FareCompare.com . Other major competitors soon fall out suit of clothes . As years passed , fees uprise . In July 2015 JetBlue , one of the last remaining holdout , started charging for check bagsunless you buy a premium transportation . Southwest , for its part , still allows rider two free checked bags . ( Hey , there ’s a reason its stock stock ticker is LUV . )
Last class alone airway collected $ 3.8 billion in luggage fees , nearly adequate to the city budget of Phoenix .
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In every year since 2010 , US airline have conjointly raked in more than $ 3.3 billion in baggage fee . Last year alone airlines collected$3.8 billionin luggage fee , near adequate tothe city budget of Phoenix . Talk about a glob of modification for the like of American , Delta , and United .
of course , those big fat numbers have caught the care of lawmakers . Two US senator – Richard Blumenthal ( D - Conn. ) and Edward J. Markey ( D - Mass. ) – wrotea letter to 12 airlinesin May , calling for a summer reduction in bag fees to relieve abysmal , Samsonite - choke TSA transmission line . " A late investigating by the minority staff of the U.S. Senate Commerce , Science and Transportation Committee found that three airlines increase checked luggage fee by 67 percent between 2009 and 2014 , " they wrote .
The airline respond by play a very diminutive air violin . The industry group Airlines for America replied with astatementthat read , in part : " Not only does the information not support a causal human relationship between recent lines and baggage fees , it would be illegal for airlines to jointly correspond on any pricing insurance policy , include purse fees . " Or , in myopic : you got a problem with how we run our business ? Write new regs or STFU .
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Bag fees are here to stay
Believe it or not , by from the $ 3.8 billion sucking auditory sensation at the baggage roundabout , this is a fairly sleazy time to get on a plane . Airfares are thecheapest in seven years– andonly gestate to dropas we get into autumn . Those fares account for about 75 % of airlines ' revenue . The other 25 % rely largely on " shipping - related " incidental ( including in - flight purchase of food , booze , pillows , etc . ) , reservation change fee , and – you guessed it – baggage fees . For publically trade in airlines , that ’s a huge slab of alteration they ’d have to rationalize give up for shareholder .