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Senator blast airline companies at oversight hearing over rising fees

Senators on Wednesday harshly slammed rising airline charges for luggage and seat projects, saying carriers are looking for brand-new methods to extract more cash from travelers.

Senator Richard Blumenthal, who chairs the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, blasted providers at a hearing with American Airlines, United Airlines Delta Air Lines, Spirit Airlines and Frontier executives.

Airlines nowadays view their consumers as little bit more than strolling piggy banks to be shaken down for every single possible dime, Blumenthal said.

Republican Senator Josh Hawley questioned why some airlines charge passengers various charges for baggage on the same flight. This is Russian roulette, Hawley said. Nobody takes pleasure in flying on your airline companies. It's a catastrophe. ... It's dreadful. It's absolutely terrible

A report launched by Blumenthal last week divulged the five airline companies collectively earned $12.4 billion in profits from seat charges between 2018 and 2023.

Blumenthal's panel spent a year investigating, finding providers are increasingly using algorithms to set charges.

Providers are dealing with customer-specific rates to. discriminate against travelers, and to raise fares and fees for. customers the airline thinks will pay more, Blumenthal stated.

Airlines say the costs are transparent and they need to offer. consumers options while they deal with increasing expenses.

American Airlines Vice Chair Stephen Johnson stated carriers. need to attract the most budget-conscious consumers. Delta. executive Peter Carter said the carrier supplies choices and. worth for each customer. ... Charge practices that wear down the trust. and loyalty of our consumers are not in our best interests.

United executive Andrew Nocella stated ending family seating. in 2023 and Wifi charges next year will lower revenues by hundreds. of millions of dollars.

Blumenthal's committee discovered budget plan carriers Frontier and. Spirit paid $26 million to gate representatives and others between 2022. and 2023 to capture travelers not spending for bag fees or having. large products.

Frontier workers can make $10 for each bag guests must. check at the gate, the report said. Frontier CEO Barry Biffle. safeguarded the practice, telling Reuters passengers who were. trying to avert paying were shoplifting. Spirit executive. Matthew Klein said the airline stopped paying workers for. capturing travelers on Sept. 30.

Previously this year, airlines sued to block the U.S. Transport Department's brand-new guideline on upfront cost disclosure,. while carriers in 2018 successfully lobbied against bipartisan. legislation to mandate reasonable and proportional baggage and. modification charges.

(source: Reuters)