Airline executives faced tough questions at a Senate hearing about fees, seats, and bags
Airline executives were grilled by Senate lawmakers about the growing number of fees for things like seat assignments and checked bags.
Members of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee expressed concerns that airlines are making it increasingly difficult for passengers to understand the full cost of their tickets.
“We think we’ve hit a tipping point where consumers are fed up,” said Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash. She cited a survey that found that 90% of passengers feel that airlines nickel-and-dime them with fees.
Executives from American, United, Delta, and Southwest defended their practices, saying that unbundling services allows customers to pay for only what they want.
“Customers value choice,” said American Airlines President Robert Isom.
Some lawmakers are considering legislation to require more transparency in airline pricing. They are also looking at measures to address shrinking seats and legroom on planes.
“There is something going on — and the travelling public is a little tired of it,” said Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss.
The hearing comes as airlines are expected to collect a record $3.5 billion in bag fees this year. This is on top of the $11.6 billion they collected in 2018.
Committee members urged executives to provide clearer information on fees and disclose how much they make from extras like early boarding and extra legroom.
“It’s not just the bag fees — you want to sit with your kids, it’s going to cost you more money,” said Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass.
Senators also raised concerns about the lack of competition in the airline industry and the impact of recent mergers, which have reduced the number of major carriers from nine to four.
“We’ve got an oligopoly in the United States today,” said Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn.
Executives said that while there is consolidation in the industry, there is still robust competition that benefits customers.
“We do not have a lack of competition,” said United Airlines President Scott Kirby.
Senators plan to hold another hearing in the coming weeks to further address these issues and review possible legislative solutions.