A New surprise airline fee: The gate-service fee, a charge tied to Basic Economy Fares

There’s a new snag at the airport catching fliers by surprise: the gate-service fee. United and American have created the fee to discourage travellers who buy their cheapest fare, Basic Economy, from bringing a carry-on bag that doesn’t fit under the seat. United calls it a gate-handling charge. American labels it a gate-service fee. It’s really a penalty on top of a fee. Most passengers don’t get charged a baggage fee when planes run out of overhead bin space and bags must be checked. They are entitled to 2 carry-on items. Not so with Basic Economy on United and American. United says it communicates with customers about the Basic Economy rules throughout the booking process. “We do everything we can to make sure customers do not reach the gate with a bag that needs to be gate-checked,” a spokeswoman said. <br/>