Some Fees Disappear... But Most Are Rising

The group at Airfarewatchdog.com warns the traveling public of recent changes to fee structures that indicate the economy continues to impact major airline operations. Despite recent headlines about the disappearance of some unpopular fees, airlines continue to charge fees for booking flights, checking bags, using frequent flier miles, and flying with pets and minors.

"Not all fees are irreversible. US Airways rescinded its charge for sodas and bottled water, but most fees are going up," said group founder George Hobica.

Another positive change noted by the group include Frontier Airlines ended fees for cashing in frequent flyer miles... but after that, things go downhill fast. Spirit Airlines and United Airlines have both raised their pet-in-cabin fees, to $100 and $350 respectively, in an apparent effort to discourage passengers from flying with FiFi. United also increased the fee for transporting pets in the cargo hold, to a staggering $500.

Those carriers would also prefer unaccompanied minors take a seat somewhere else, charging around a hundred bucks for the added effort for flight attendants to keep an eye on kids traveling alone. Spirit recently raised that fee from $75; United, on the other hand, tried to increase that fee further, but recently rolled it back to $99.

"The Delta/Northwest merger has also dealt a blow to consumers looking for low-fee airlines, since Northwest has raised most of its fees to the level Delta charges," Hobica asserts. "In July, United Airlines will begin charging a fee to upgrade from economy to business- or first-class if you want to use your frequent flier miles, so that means miles plus cash."

Hobica does note it could be worse, however.

"While that's not exactly going to win over new customers, at least they haven't publicly considered charging to use lavatories, as Irish carrier Ryanair's CEO so famously did recently."

FMI: www.airfarewatchdog.com