Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin and other Democrats are calling on airlines to drop checked baggage fees, which he said are leading to heavy use of carry-on baggage that are bogging down security checkpoints.
Durbin, an Illinois Democrat, said on the Senate floor that dropping the fees “can reduce the incentive for passengers to bring carry-on luggage.”
Durbin said he will be meeting with airline and airport officials in Chicago, where hours-long lines at security checkpoints have caused thousands of passengers to miss flights in recent weeks. He said more passengers are bringing carry-on luggage, and are stuffing more items into those bags, further slowing the screening process.
Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., followed Durbin onto the floor to advocate the lifting of fees.
“It will, along with other measures, help reduce lines that result from screening,” he said.
Blumenthal said airlines have earned $3.8 billion from fees charged for checked baggage, and said carry-on baggage drops by 27 percent when there are no such fees.
“My hope is airlines will voluntarily eliminate fees for checked bags,” Blumenthal said. “We need for the airlines to show some leadership. I’m hopeful they will do the right thing.”
