A Consumer Travel Alliance analysis has found that hidden fees levied by airlines on popular routes can boost the base cost of an airline ticket by an average of 54% for a typical traveler with two checked bags and extra legroom, or by an average of 26% for a comparable one-bag traveler.
Consumer Travel Alliance conducted the analysis by examining base fares and extra charges for nine major airlines for a typical October flight itinerary on four popular routes – New York-Los Angeles, Boston-Washington, Chicago-Miami, and Washington-Orlando.
By the way, the analysis included just two of the many common fees now charged by the airlines: checked baggage and extra legroom.
Consumer Travel Alliance called on Congress and the U.S. Department of Transportation to ensure all ancillary airline fees are fully disclosed to travelers through every distribution channel to let consumers compare the total cost of air travel between carriers.
Here’s what Consumer Travel Alliance’s director Charles Leocha had to say:
Our analysis showed that the hidden fees charged by airlines now rival the cost of the tickets themselves, often without any disclosure to the consumer at the time of purchase. For a family traveling in these tight fiscal times, those fees can be an unexpected shock totaling hundreds of dollars in unanticipated expenses. If airlines want to charge additional fees for their services, they should be required to disclose all of those fees through every ticketing channel, so consumers can compare complete travel costs.
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