36 Airline Fees Increased in 2012
Most travelers will not be shocked to learn that several airline fees increased last year, and as FareCompare readers know, more fees are on the way.
5 worst airline fees of all time
Worst Fee Changes of 2012
Still the fee breakdown in a new report from TravelNerd includes some interesting nuggets.
- 36 of 52 fee changes for U.S. airlines were fee increases
- The remaining fee changes are the result of bundling fees
- Many of the fee changes – 18 out of 52 – come from low-cost carriers Spirit and Allegiant, known for their wide range of fees covering everything from coffee and water to carry-on bags
Some have referred to Spirit’s fee policies as outrageous but the airline does have a devoted following.
Higher bag fees for both Southwest, AirTran
Couple of Bright Spots for Fees
As TravelNerd notes, United actually reduced its overweight baggage fees somewhat, while JetBlue and Southwest still offer free checked-bags. However, as Southwest’s CEO said recently when asked if the carrier will continue its popular two-bags-for-free policy, “Never say never.” Not long ago, the airline added a new no show fee and plans to launch a new $40 fee for early boarding. Plus both Southwest and AirTran have raised some of the fees they currently charge.
