American Airlines is the last to increase checked baggage fees: NPR

Air travelers should be prepared to dig deeper or pack lighter, as most major US airlines have increased the cost of checking baggage.

American Airlines, the largest passenger air carrier, is the last to do so, announcing Thursday that it will increase fees from $ 25 to $ 30 for the first piece of checked luggage and $ 35 to $ 40 for the second piece of luggage. recorded on roundtrip flights. from destinations in the United States, North America and the Caribbean. The airline will start charging higher fees on Friday, September 21st.

Delta has announced similar rate increases earlier this week. United and JetBlue had already increased checked baggage fees in early September.

Southwest is the only major US airline that does not charge checked baggage. He said Thursday that he would continue to allow passengers to check two bags for free. Southwest also does not charge a fee for the booking change, which can cost up to $ 200 per ticket on other airlines.

The airlines claim that in most cases these fees have not been increased since 2010 and that increases are necessary to offset rising fuel and labor costs.

But these fees are also a major source of profit for airlines.

While keeping airfares relatively low in recent years, airlines have increased their revenues by charging taxes on all products, from checked baggage to airline storage.

According to statistics from the Department of Transportation, the airlines raised nearly $ 4.6 billion in checked baggage fees last year and collectively, with the notable exception of the Southwest, canceled in 2017 more than two , $ 8 billion in canceled booking fees.

Such fees are a huge source of aggravation for many airline travelers who feel rotted every time.

Consumer outrage has led Congress to consider limiting these fees in the pending legislation governing the Federal Aviation Administration. A provision that has already been passed by the Senate would require the Department of Transport to ensure that the fees charged for the baggage check or change of flight reflect the actual cost of the airline for the provision of the service.

But the airlines reject the idea that the accusations are excessive and frivolous, saying that limiting these charges could lead them to not allow ticket changes and could also lead to higher fares.

The House has not yet followed the Senate version of the FAA bill, and the fate of the consumer protection provision is uncertain. The current FAA authorization expires on September 30 and the Congress has until then approved a new authorization or extended existing law.

The Trump administration is opposed to the provision limiting fees and has already taken steps to weaken the regulation on checked baggage fees.