US Senator Blasts Airlines for Viewing Passengers as 'Walking Piggy Banks'

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: US News and World Report/Reuters

Dec. 4, 2024, at 5:08 a.m.


WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of a U.S. Senate panel harshly criticized rising airline fees for luggage and seat assignments, saying carriers are looking for new ways to extract more money from passengers.

Senator Richard Blumenthal, who chairs the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, is convening a hearing Wednesday titled "The Sky’s the Limit -- New Revelations About Airline Fees" with American Airlines, United Airlines Delta Air Lines, Spirit Airlines and Frontier executives testifying.

"Airlines these days view their customers as little more than walking piggy banks to be shaken down for every possible dime," Blumenthal said in prepared remarks.

A report released by Blumenthal last week disclosed the five airlines collectively earned $12.4 billion in revenue from seat fees between 2018 and 2023. Blumenthal's panel spent a year investigating, finding carriers are increasingly using algorithms to set fees and said some carriers may be avoiding federal transportation excise taxes by labeling some charges as nontaxable fees.

Read more: https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2024-12-04/us-senator-blasts-airlines-for-viewing-passengers-as-walking-piggy-banks

[travelingthrulife]

1. I'm sorry, but isn't this the American way?? What about insurance companies

having us pay monthly premiums and then having to pay out of pocket costs on nearly everything. Then not coming through on reimbursements.

American as apple pie.

[DENVERPOPS]

4. I am guessing,

after the assassination of the CEO of United Health Care this morning, that CEO's across the nation, now are wondering if they have gone too far in their pursuit of profits and greed above all else, by screwing employees and customers......

[Autumn]

2. It's okay. Grocery stores think the same thing. Wake me up when you have the hearing on that.

[BumRushDaShow]

6. They have been having hearings the past couple years

under the moniker of "junk fees" and covering different industries - banking, housing, etc.

The postings about them sortof got yawns here at the time.

[Autumn]

9. What has the outcome been? I went to Safeway yesterday, diced tomato's $1.99 a can. On sale.

Two weeks ago I paid $1.29 a can, not on sale.

[BumRushDaShow]

10. They have drafted various pieces of legislation

But obviously since we don't control the House, none of it would have gone anywhere. When they have hearings, the point is to do information gathering so they can draft new laws.

For example -

SENATE BILL

S.916 - Junk Fee Prevention Act

COMPANION HOUSE BILL

H.R.2463 - Junk Fee Prevention Act


SENATE BILL

S.3803 - Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2024

COMPANION HOUSE BILL

H.R.7390 - Price Gouging Prevention Act of 2024

In other cases, new Rules were put in place by various agencies. I mentioned down-thread what the FTC finalized -

FTC adopts ‘click-to-cancel’ rule making it easier to get rid of unwanted subscriptions

[Irish_Dem]

3. Americans adore the wealthy who rip them off.

We are now letting the greedy, corrupt wealthy class ruin the country and the world.

[jvill]

5. Just the airlines? What about... literally every other large company?

Have you tried to unsubscribe from services you don’t want, lately?

[BumRushDaShow]

7. See this

FTC adopts ‘click-to-cancel’ rule making it easier to get rid of unwanted subscriptions

[Hotler]

8. And bankers call people with no CC debt deadbeats.

What Is a Deadbeat?
Deadbeat is a slang term for a credit card user who pays off their balance in full and on time every month, thus avoiding the need to pay off the interest that would have accrued on their accounts.
https://www.investopedia.com/terms/d/deadbeat.asp