With the proliferation of airline fees, it seems one needs a program to keep track of the players and the additional fees they charge. Southwest Airlines has added a fee chart to their website to track the difference between their no-fee approach to flying and the other guys. This is probably the most up-to-date listing of airline fees found on the Web.
This Southwest chart keeps track of the following fees —
Reservation by phone fee
1st checked bag fee
2nd checked bag fee
Priority seating fee
Beverage/snack fee
Meal fee
Alcohol fee
Oversize bag fee
Overweight bag fee
Travel with pets fee
Unacompanied minor fee
Curbside check-in fee
Non-refundable ticket change fee
Southwest lists these fees to draw a clear comparison between their actual airfare (with most fees included) and the other airlines’ actual cost (with up to a dozen additional fees).
The most common fees are the 1st-checked bag fees and the 2nd-checked bag fees. These mean an addition of a minimum of $30 to any round-trip airfare when checking a single bag. This 1st-checked bag fee is particularly aimed at families with children.
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I am surprised that in asue anybody and everyboby for just about anything that some enterprising attorney has not filed a class action lawsuit against the airlines for thier “fees” . Since the very beginning of the industry these ‘fee’ items have been included in the price of the airline ticket purchase price. Why are they no longer inclused? Why on earth should one pay for a reserved seat? Or a meal on mealtime flights. [Granted the meals are pitiful!] Fee for the FIRST carryon? Are they insane? Show up with nothing but the clothes on your back and the TSA rips you apart! Show up with carry on, the airline screws you financially, and does not even kiss you! I say BOYCOTT them!!!