In 2012, the major American airlines made $2.6 billion in change fees.
And that's quite enough, says Senator Chuck Schumer of New York State.
On Sunday, the Senator called out Delta Airlines, United Airlines, US Airways and American Airlines for their recent change fee hikes. "With the growth of other fees, flying has already become prohibitively expensive for many, and the airlines, after making billions of dollars in these fees last year, shouldn’t pile on. At $200 per change, it makes it all but unaffordable for a family to change their plans by even a day or an hour," he said, according to the Associated Press.
At this stage, Schumer is doing nothing more than kicking up a fuss. He's not proposing legislation (which likely wouldn't stick anyways). But I, for one, am happy he's shining light on this issue. If you think these fees have gotten outrageous, why not call your Senator's office and ask him or her to speak out, too. Perhaps if the chorus gets loud enough, the airlines can be shamed into reducing the fee.
One can always dream....
