Ever go to book your flight, think you’re getting a great deal, and then suddenly see the price SHOOT up thanks to all kinds of extra fees?
Flying away
There are fees to make sure your family sits together and all kinds of other things. We’ve shared a LOT of airline tips to help you out, like a list of the airlines to AVOID if you don’t want to get bumped from your flight, and resources to help you know what you’re owed if your flight is canceled or delayed. But is there a way for some of those pesky airline fees to go away? There might be.
In early 2023, President Joe Biden gave his State of the Union speech, and The New York Times provided a full transcript. During the speech, Biden discussed various things, but dedicated a bit of time to something he called “junk fees.”
Just what are “junk fees,” you ask? Well, they’re “hidden surcharges too many companies use to make you pay more,” according to Biden.
©AP
We already shared some details with you about how some of the changes Biden talked about could impact “junk fees” at hotels (and how Disney could be impacted). But what about airlines? Well, Biden said his team is tackling “junk fees” when it comes to airfare too.
For example, he shared, they’re “making airlines show you the full ticket price upfront.” He also noted that they’re working to make airlines “refund your money if your flight is canceled or delayed.”
Biden said that they’ve written a bill to target junk fees called the “Junk Fee Prevention Act.”
©CNN Illustrations | Getty Images
Biden shared that through this Act they would work to “prohibit airlines from charging $50 round trip for a family just to be able to sit together.” This seems to be in reference to fees airlines charge for seat selections that some families may end up paying to ensure that they can all sit together.
Biden emphasized the point of these changes by saying, “Baggage fees are bad enough. Airlines can’t treat your child like a piece of baggage. Americans are tired of being — we’re tired of being played for suckers.”
He noted that while “junk fees may not matter to the very wealthy…they matter to most other folks in homes like the one I grew up in, like many of you did. They add up to hundreds of dollars a month. They make it harder for you to pay your bills or afford that family trip. I know how unfair it feels when a company overcharges you and gets away with it. Not anymore.”
©Tiffany Blanchette/The Daily Journal via AP (Obtained via Deadline)
According to a release from The White House, The Department of Transportation “has already proposed a rule to require airlines and online booking services to show the full price of a plane ticket up front, including baggage and other fees.”
Also, back in July 2022, the Department of Transportation issued a notice “stating that it is the Department’s policy that U.S. airlines ensure that children who are age 13 or younger are seated next to an accompanying adult with no extra charge, but still no airline guarantees fee-free family seating.” The Department of Transportation is set to soon “publish a family seating fee dashboard and launch a rulemaking to ban the practice.”
President Biden, however, has called upon “Congress to fast-track the ban on family seating fees so that the DOT can crack down on these practices more quickly than through a rulemaking.”
American Airlines Information Packet
Earlier in February, we actually shared a bit about some bills that had been reintroduced in Congress to address some of these issues. These bills had been reintroduced by 2 U.S. Senators to strengthen protections for airline passengers. The bills would expedite refunds for passengers who have experienced disruptions in travel and “tamp down” airline fees for seating assignments and checked luggage.
One piece of legislation — The Airline Passengers’ Bill of Rights — would also seek up to $1,350 for travelers bumped from oversold flights. Those bills had been met with some opposition though, particularly by Airlines for America (a trade organization), arguing that the policies would “drastically decrease competition, leading to a subsequent increase in airfare prices.”
Flying isn’t really getting cheaper.
So will these policies change? And, if so, how quickly will they change? That all remains to be seen. We’ll continue to keep an eye out for more news that could impact your flights and share that all with you. In the meantime, see more travel tips and tricks below!
Click here to see what NEW airline is now flying to the Orlando Airport
Travel Updates, Tips, and Tricks
Complete Guide to Booking the CHEAPEST Flight to Disney World
Our Best Tips For Flying Through the Orlando International Airport
Step-by-Step Guide: How to Get to Disney World From the Orlando Airport
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What do you think of these proposed changes? Tell us in the comments.
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This bill is a perfect example of the government thinking that people are not smart enough to schedule their own flight. Being able to customize you own flight is a great cost saving measure, I know many people that like being able to customize their flight and be able to save a lot of money and will no longer look at other airlines but will only fly with those airlines that do separate pricing so that they can save money and not have to pay for things that they don’t need.
People that have limited income would rather send some time researching fares than spending for unneeded services. there is an old saying” What do you have more of, time or money”
Like a majority of Americans I find it difficult to believe any thing that comes out of that mans mouth.
Like a majority of American’s I find it difficult to believe anything he says.
Thank you, President Biden! Hopefully Congress will get behind you on this. I, for one, am tired of all of these junk fees. If you have ever stayed at the Dolphin or Swan at Disney, you know what I am talking about! Resort fees, parking fees, etc. etc. etc. These fees often add $50 or more on for EACH night of your stay. Ridiculous.