Flying soon? You could pay upwards of 50% more in airline fees than for the same flight just one year ago. And don’t even think of asking for a receipt to document the pain — you’ll pay another $20 for that privilege.
According to USA Today, U.S. airlines saw a 15.8% increase in revenue during the year’s second quarter, due to a more than 50% increase in fees since June 2009. The paper reported $893 million was brought in from fees for checked baggage, while $600 million came from fees tacked on to changed reservations. Other “convenience” fees are attached to things like telephone reservations, which can cost up to an extra $35 (US Airways) or even $44.97 (Allegiant Air) – $29.98 round-trip booking fee and a $14.99 convenience fee.
But perhaps the most outrageous hidden price tag is the added fee for receipts. Some airlines now charge an extra $20 to passengers who request a receipt just days after their flight. Continental institutes the additional fee if the request is made more than seven days after a flight, while US Airways charges for receipt requests made more than 30 days later.
(More on Time.com: 20 More Reasons To Hate The Airlines)
As prices continue to increase, news of inflated fee costs is delivered as just another consumer squeeze. Earlier this summer the AP reported the average cost of a domestic flight was a whopping $328, while a proposed line of “saddle-like” airline seats providing just 23 inches of leg room was announced in order to pack even more people into aircrafts.