Consumers paid more than $9.2 billion in fees to U.S. airlines in 2010 for checked baggage and other services, according to a study released on Thursday by the Consumer Travel Alliance (CTA).
On average, passengers paid a total of $36.80 in fees for every round trip ticket – nearly $150 for a family of four, according to the study, which was based on fourth-quarter 2010 earnings releases from the nation’s eight largest airlines as well as data from the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.
In addition, the CTA study said these fees were hidden from most travelers when they purchased their airline tickets, which are not disclosed in their fee information with travel agents and other distributors.
CTA, a non-profit organization promoting consumer interests on travel policy issues, conducted the study in coordination with Open Allies for Airfare Transparency, a coalition representing hundreds of companies in the managed travel community.
