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SALT LAKE CITY — U.S. airlines collect roughly $6 billion a year in charges for checked bags and fees for changing tickets.
Air travelers pay fees to check luggage, get a premium seat, or board a plane early, but if their travel plans change, they should not expect to see a refund for those services, even if they don't use them.
The U.S. Department of Transportation requires airlines to refund baggage fees if they lose a customer's luggage. If the flight gets delayed for whatever reason, the airlines can still make customers pay the baggage fee.
The government forces airlines to also refund fees for optional services like upgraded seats or early boarding privileges, when the airlines oversell or cancel a flight. But again, that's only if the airline is responsible for the change.
If the customer makes the change, the airline gets to keep the fee money.
So, if someone paid $200 to change a reservation, then the flight got delayed, the airline will keep the change fee.
A travel writer in Money Talks News reports the problem is many fliers assume an airline fee is refundable, since it's an optional service. They often do not learn about restrictions until they've already paid for the extra leg room or other service.
Four years ago, federal regulators began requiring airlines to prominently disclose fees on their websites.
