Hidden airline fees can cost almost as much as airline tickets

[Host Mike]

"The typical two-bag traveler with extra legroom is paying an average of 54 percent more in hidden fees on popular routes, says the Consumer Travel Alliance CTA).

The one-bag travelers fare somewhat better, paying only 26 percent more, the group says.

"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," said Charles Leocha, director of the Consumer Travel Alliance. He added:

"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."

The analysis was conducted by examining the 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. The analysis included just two of the many common fees now charged by the airlines: checked baggage and extra legroom.

The analysis also showed the amount of hidden fees charged to a typical traveler with two bags ranged from 21 percent to 153 percent of the price of the base fare on some specific flights.

Citing the results of the study, the Consumer Travel Alliance called on Congress and the U.S. Department of Transportation to take swift action to ensure that all ancillary airline fees are fully disclosed to travelers through every distribution channel, so the total cost of air travel can be compared between carriers.

By David Wilkening"
 
Source: Travel Mole July 14, 2010