Markey Aims To Ban 'Ridiculous' Airline Fees With Bill
BOSTON (CBS) -- Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts reintroduced a bill on Thursday to crack down on "exorbitant" fees from airlines.
He and three other members of Congress are sponsoring the "Forbidding Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous Fees Act." It would ban airlines from charging fees "that are not reasonable and proportional to the costs of the services actually provided."
Charges that fall under the bill include bag, seating cancellation and change fees.
"As we build back better from the pandemic, it's time to ground rising airline fees that costs air travelers a pretty penny in the skies," Markey said in a statement. "Airlines should not be able to bilk passengers just because they need to check a couple of bags, or charge an extra fee so parents can sit with their kids."
Under the legislation, children would always be able to sit with other family members at no additional charge.
Markey says that pre-pandemic, airlines took in nearly $109.5 billion in fees, which is almost five times higher than the $22.6 billion they collected in 2010.
