House Holds Hearing on Airline Fees: Are They Out of Control?
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July 14, 2010— -- The cost of air travel today involves far more than a price of a ticket -- travelers are paying out myriad fees for everything from baggage to fuel to using the bathroom.
All told, the airlines collected $7.8 billion in fees last year, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, and that figure is likely to grow this year, as most major airlines raised their checked baggage fees at the beginning of the year.
"You can easily spend more on fees these days than on your fare," George Hobica, president of airfarewatchdog.com told ABC News.
Think enough's enough? Well members of Congress will take up the issue today in a hearing of the House Transportation Aviation Subcommittee, probing whether airlines should better disclose fees to flyers.
The president and CEO of one of the airlines that's aggressively tacked on fees, Spirit Airlines, is expected to appear before the committee along with other aviation officials. Spirit recently announced plans to charge $45 for carry-on bags in overhead bins.
So, our question to you today: Are airline fees out of control?
ABC News' Scott Mayerowitz and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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