Travel Advocacy Groups Fight 'Ridiculous' Airline Fees
The Forbid Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous (FAIR) Fees Act would prohibit airlines from charging cancellation, baggage, or other ancillary fees that are “unreasonable” under standards set by the Department of Transportation.

Photo via Jonathan Cohen/Flickr.

Photo via Jonathan Cohen/Flickr.
Several travel advocacy organizations — including the Business Travel Coalition, Consumer Federation of America, and National Consumer League — wrote a letter asking Sens. Mitch McConnell and Harry Reid to support the inclusion of the Forbid Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous (FAIR) Fees Act as an amendment to the Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2016.
Sponsored by Sens. Ed Markey and Richard Blumenthal, the FAIR Fees Act would prohibit airlines from charging cancellation, baggage, or other ancillary fees that are “unreasonable or disproportional to the costs incurred by the air carrier,” under standards set by the Department of Transportation (DOT).
The FAIR Fees Act doesn’t look to re-regulate the airlines, but it serves to remedy a systemic violation of the free market system that has been pointed out by both the DOT and the Department of Justice (DOJ), according to the letter.
In 2015, U.S. airlines collected $10.8 billion in ancillary fees, an increase of 24% since 2014, according to a survey by IdeasWorksCompany.
These add-on fees have generated more complaints among consumers. From 2014 to 2015, consumer complaints to the DOT increased by 30%, according to the DOT. And complaints about airline fares are the fastest-growing category of complaints to the DOT (97.93% year-over-year increase), according to the DOT’s Air Travel Consumer Report from February 2016.
“The FAA Reauthorization Act is an important opportunity for you and your Senate colleagues to protect the millions of consumers who depend on the airline industry to provide an affordable, dependable, and safe travel experience,” the letter stated. “The FAIR Fees Act would do much to help reign in the industry’s increasing reliance on ancillary fees, which are unfairly squeezing the pocketbooks of the flying public. We urge you to support this common sense, pro-consumer bill.”
More Rental Operations

Direct, Broker or Hybrid? How Travel Retailers Source Rental Cars
As travel retailers weigh direct supplier relationships against third-party distribution, rental operators need to understand how those decisions affect their business.
Read More →
How Did This Independent Rental Operator Grow to 170 Vehicles in 4 Years?
With 170 vehicles across three Kentucky locations, Joel Price relies on an overseas team to handle reservations, payments, and after-hours customer service. It's one part of an unconventional approach to growing an independent rental operation.
Read More →
What Does It Take to Succeed in B2B Rentals?
The fundamentals may be familiar to daily car rental operators, but project-based truck rentals put different demands on the fleet and the business.
Read More →
NPR Builds on International Partnerships to Grow Rental Bookings
With Ana Laborde supporting broker development, NPR Auto Group is tailoring distribution strategies, rate packages, and partnerships to grow international reservations across its three brands.
Read More →
Advantage, Sixt Place Among Top Five in Annual Satisfaction Study
While Enterprise and National retain the top spots in JD Power’s 2026 rankings, the latest customer satisfaction results suggest renters can find competitive service beyond the biggest car rental names.
Read More →
The $100,000 Insurance Trap in Exotic Car Rentals
Exotic rental agencies often rely on customers’ personal auto policies to protect six-figure vehicles. But policy language can dramatically change the coverage for vehicles over $100,000 MSRP.
Read More →
The Booking Is Confirmed, But Is Your Customer Ready to Drive?
For international renters, a confirmed reservation doesn’t always mean they’re eligible to drive. Earlier checks can help operators catch documentation and payment issues before the customer reaches the counter.
Read More →
ICRS 2027 Opens Call for Papers
The International Car Rental Show seeks session proposals on the business, operational, and technology issues facing car rental operators. Submissions are due Jan. 15.
Read More →
Turo to Launch Vehicle Delivery Service
Turo Delivered will let travelers search for vehicles that hosts can deliver directly to hotels, homes, airports, train stations, and other locations.
Read More →
Palm Beach Airport Code Change Creates Car Rental Distribution Gap
A test of rental searches under the old PBI and new DJT airport codes returned largely different sets of brands and vehicles, highlighting a potential distribution problem for rental operators.
Read More →
