Go to www.delta.com and determine what it would cost to fly Delta Airlines from Atlanta to Denver for a one-week roundtrip next month. What additional fees would you have to pay to change your flight, check one bag, bring your dog with you, and eat lunch while flying?
In airline pricing, $5 here and $10 there; it all starts to add up. Airlines are nickel-and-diming flyers right and left, except that there are more zeros after the fives and tens! Add-on fees contributed more than $5 billion in airline revenue in 2009. Change your flight—that will cost upward of $150. Check a bag—add another $10 to $25 and perhaps $50 for a second bag if traveling overseas. Spirit Airlines even charges for carry-on bags! Taking a pet along? That’s another $50 to $100. Hungry? $10 or more, please. For $10 to $30, you can jump to the front of the check-in and security lines and board before other passengers. These fees are in addition to all the other taxes and fees imposed on flyers. A recent Government Accountability Office report, however, raises concerns over the disclosure of fees. Airlines are required to disclose only check-bag fees, making it harder for consumers to compare total costs when booking flights.