US: Airlines dodge legislation aimed at curbing excessive fees
A Senate panel approved an aviation policy bill Wednesday after a partisan fight over whether airlines gouge consumers with fees for basic services like checked bags and seat assignments. The Senate commerce committee approved a bill to continue the FAA's authority to operate through Oct 1, 2017. That authority is due to expire March 31. The committee's Democrats tried to add a provision to the bill to prohibit airlines from setting unreasonable fee prices and direct the DoT to establish what is reasonable. The amendment failed on a party-line tie vote. Consumers are being "gouged" by excessive fees, but they don't have any choice but to pay them, senator Edward Markey said. Republicans said the provision would be burdensome for airlines and that market forces should be allowed to determine fee prices. <br/>
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US: Airlines dodge legislation aimed at curbing excessive fees
A Senate panel approved an aviation policy bill Wednesday after a partisan fight over whether airlines gouge consumers with fees for basic services like checked bags and seat assignments. The Senate commerce committee approved a bill to continue the FAA's authority to operate through Oct 1, 2017. That authority is due to expire March 31. The committee's Democrats tried to add a provision to the bill to prohibit airlines from setting unreasonable fee prices and direct the DoT to establish what is reasonable. The amendment failed on a party-line tie vote. Consumers are being "gouged" by excessive fees, but they don't have any choice but to pay them, senator Edward Markey said. Republicans said the provision would be burdensome for airlines and that market forces should be allowed to determine fee prices. <br/>
