It seems like each day when I open my news reader, newspaper or email I see more information about additional fees that the airlines are charging their customers. Rarely this this a change in the ticket price itself. All of these fees are also additional to the taxes and airport fees that get added onto a ticket. When all is said and done a $300 airline ticket can easily cost $450.

Recent stories include:

US airlines want lighter bags

• Starting May 5, United Airlines will charge passengers with domestic nonrefundable economy tickets $25 to check a second bag.
• Spirit Airlines said that it would double charges for all checked bags: to $10 a bag if reserved, and to $20 without reservations.

Air Canada to charge for customer service

Air Canada said passengers who opt to pay an additional $25 one-way on short-haul flights and an extra $35 one-way on long-haul routes within North America will receive “speedy” access to “specially-trained” customer service agents who will help rebook flights on Air Canada or other airlines, as well as pay for hotel stays and meals, if necessary.

Unbundling Air Fare Costs

• Delta matched earlier moves by United and USAirways to charge $25 for a second checked bag. This fee ” will not apply to first-class or business-class customers or members of Delta’s frequent-flier program who log at least 25,000 qualifying miles of travel per year.”
• JetBlue also announced a fee for seats with more legroom, a practice used by United for many years.

Passengers paying for everything in flight

• Last year Air Canada got international attention for piloting a pay-for-your-own-pillow plan — a $2 Comfort Kit with a blanket and inflatable pillow.
• On Air Canada if you do not check in any luggage, you can get a $10 discount on your Air Canada Tango fare.
• Air Canada charges an extra $20 per passenger for bookings made via telephone instead of the website, up to a maximum of $50 per booking.

Delta raises fees for mileage tickets, children flying alone

• Delta Airlines boosted its unaccompanied-minor fee — the charge to transport a child between the ages of 5-14 flying alone — from $50 to $100 each way on a nonstop flight, the same it has been charging for connecting flights.
• Frequent fliers will be charged a $25 “handling fee” for award tickets booked over the phone with a Delta representative that include a segment on a partner airline, such as Alaska or Northwest. That’s on top of an increase from $20 to $25 for booking any type of ticket on the telephone.
• Delta, based in Atlanta, also said it will boost the charge from $75 to $100 for taking a pet in the cabin, and will raise the cost of taking an oversized bag from $100 to $150.
• Northwest’s fee for children traveling alone on connecting flights also goes up to $100 for tickets issued after today.

Part of what is starting to drive passengers crazy is the unpredictable nature of the fees. My boss and another co-worker recently took a weekend trip from London to Estonia. There was no extra fee for luggage on the way to Estonia but $300 in fees for the return flight which was more than the cost of the tickets.

In these days of rising jet fuel we have seen ATA and Aloha airlines cease flights recently and Alitalia is reported to be close behind them. Fees like this are likely to continue to increase until passengers start complaining or more importantly traveling less. So what can you do?

• Pack lighter
• Pack your lunch
• Dress warmer (you may not have a blanket and it takes bulkier clothes out of your luggage
• Pack your own headset
• Don’t call the airline if you can use their website instead

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