You see baggage, the airlines see even bigger profits. Photo: Jarcje / Wikimedia
Those darn bag fees, change fees, fee fees and more just keep piling up at America’s airlines. For the first quarter of 2015, they set a record at $1.6 billion, up 7.4% from last year’s first-quarter take.
That $1.6 billion accounts for more than half of the $3.1 billion in profits the 26 U.S. airlines racked up in the same period.
Part of the increase comes from more people flying, but some comes from higher fees. While most “first-bag” fees are still $25, some airlines are raising the fee for additional bags, in some cases up to $200. United has even reduced the number of free bags its elite frequent fliers can check for free.
