Senators Ben Cardin (D-MD) and Mary Landrieu (D-LA) “have introduced a bill (S. 3195) that would effectively prohibit airlines from charging fees for carry-on luggage,” according to a press release.
The Free of Fees for Carry-On Act, as it’s being called, would preserve “the airlines’ right to determine what is classified as carry-on baggage and maintains their right to enforce carry-on baggage rules on weight, size, and number of carry-on bags per passenger.”
Specifically, the bill:
- prohibits each air carrier operating in the United States from charging any fees for carry-on baggage that falls within the restrictions imposed by the air carrier with respect to the weight, size, or number of bags;
- requires each such air carrier to make detailed information about restrictions with respect to the weight, size, and number of carry-on baggage available to passengers before they arrive at the airport for a scheduled departure on the air carrier; and
- Requires each such air carrier to make available to the public and to the Secretary a list of all passenger fees and charges (other than airfare) that may be imposed by the air carrier, including fees for—
- Checked baggage or oversized or heavy baggage, including specialty items such as bicycles, skis, and firearms;
- Meals, beverages, or other refreshments;
- Seats in exit rows, seats with additional space, or other preferred seats in any given class of travel;
- Purchasing tickets from an airline ticket agent or a travel agency.
(credit image – reuters)
Congress in Your Pocket
Great, so they’ll simply jack up the prices for tickets, and those who don’t check bags will subsidize those who do.
Why doesn’t the Senate just force the airlines to fly everyone around free? Why should they make a profit on the backs of struggling passengers?
What happened to letting the airlines determine their own fees? Or should they simply be asked to reduce fares and fees in order to operate at a loss, then have Washington bail them out at a later date.
Raising ticket prices to cover baggage fees means higher prices for everyone. Charging fees for checked baggage kept fairs lower for those who don’t.
Anyone who has ever flown a commercial airline knows there is rarely enough overhead storage space. New fees for carry on luggage seems fair, and might be a way to reduce the abuse that certain customers seem oblivious to.
I see nothing wrong with charging an additional fee for those who wish to delay boarding of the entire flight, while they search for enough overhead space in which to cram their overstuffed rolling suitcases, so that they may selfishly avoid checking their bags.
I try to avoid flying, basically because the TSA doesn’t make me feel safe. It is basically a joke, and you know that, which is why it has been made illegal to call it a joke.
The first line of defense is that “highly-trained” mall cop who verifies that the name on an ID matches the name on a ticket stub. It is good that terrorists have not yet resorted to using fake ID’s, or we could be in real danger.
Then comes the bare-foot “Walk of Shame” to catch any would-be shoe bombers. Every passenger receives an extra dose of confidence as they watch the lucky few randomly pulled aside for “additonal screening”, grateful the special wand will catch everything that the x-ray door frame missed.
But I digress. Before Washington takes complete control of our lives, consumer choices should be and should remain based on price and value. It should remain that way. We are not children, and do not need Congress to “protect” us from ourselves.
Please move on to more important things, like actually fixing health care (rather than simply forcing us to all buy insurance), and leave consumer choices to the consumer.
always choose your travel agency very well, you would not really want to deal with those rip-off travel agents “*