Airlines Scrambling With Fees: They’re Up, Down & All Around

Airfarewatchdog.com Says 'Watch Out - Many Fees Are On The Rise'

BOSTON, March 16 /PRNewswire/ -- Airfarewatchdog™ warns the traveling public of recent changes to fee structures* that indicate the economy continues to impact major airline operations. Airlines continue to charge fees for booking flights, checking bags, using frequent flier miles, and flying with pets and minors. Airfarewatchdog founder says, “Not all fees are irreversible. US Airways rescinded its charge for sodas and bottled water, but most fees are going up.�

Airline fee changes include:

• Frontier Airlines has eliminated fees for cashing in frequent flyer miles.
• Spirit recently raised its pet-in-cabin fee to $100, up from $85 in January, and its unaccompanied minor fee went from $75 to $100.
• In December 2008, United planned a 50% increase to its unaccompanied minor fee, more than any other U.S. airline, but then rolled it back to its previous $99 each way fee.
• United has raised its pet-in-cabin round-trip fee to an industry-leading $350, and $500 for pets in the cargo hold.

See the Airfarewatchdog airline fee guide for a comprehensive list of all fees.

*Fees accurate as of March 11, 2009, subject to change.

Hobica notes, “The Delta/Northwest merger has also dealt a blow to consumers looking for low-fee airlines, since Northwest has raised most of its fees to the level Delta charges.� He also adds that, “In July, United Airlines will begin charging a fee to upgrade from economy to business- or first-class if you want to use your frequent flier miles, so that means miles plus cash.�

Hobica points out that, “Northwest used to charge just $50 to issue a frequent flyer ticket 14 or fewer days before travel. Effective January 15 of this year, Northwest adopted Delta’s much more expensive last-minute ticketing fees of $75 to $150 per ticket, and also charges Delta’s higher ticket change fees and baggage fees. While that’s not exactly going to win over new customers, at least they haven’t publicly considered charging to use lavatories, as Irish carrier Ryanair’s CEO so famously did recently.�

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