Airline passengers go through the Transportation Security Administration security checkpoint at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport in Atlanta on August 3, 2011.
(Credit: Erik S. Lesser) Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., this week introduced the Airline Passenger BASICS Act (the "BASIC" stands for Basic Airline Standards to Improve Customer Satisfaction) - which would mandate that airlines allow fliers one free checked bag within certain weight limits per flight, and would guarantee passengers "certain minimum standards," according to a statement by Landieu's office. It would also require airlines to disclose any luggage fees they may have to pay in advance.
"When an airline advertises a flight, that is how much it should cost, plain and simple," Landreiu said in the statement. "Passengers should not be charged additional fees for checked or carry-on baggage, drinkable water or other reasonable requests. Air travel can be a stressful experience for many reasons, but unfair fees for basic amenities should not be one of them."
Landrieu, who argued that passengers "have been nickeled and dimed for far too long," said she also planned to introduce the Fair Airline Industry Revenue (FAIR) Act, which would punish noncompliant airlines with additional fees.
Proponents of the bill contend that the imposition of bag check fees has led travelers to carry on their luggage rather than check bags - which can lead both to shortages of overhead storage space on the plane, as well as increased inspection requirements at security.
Testifying at a Senate appropriations subcommittee on homeland security in March, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said the baggage check fees were costing the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) $260 million a year.
"When you have to pay to check a bag it increases carry-on luggage, and that means there is more to inspect at the gate," she said.
Landrieu pointed to a recent study by the U.S. Travel Association, which shows that, when asked to list their top frustrations with air travel, 72.4 percent of respondents cited "people who bring too many carry-on bags through the security checkpoint."
She argues that her bill will combat that frustration - because Americans will no longer feel compelled to carry on all of their luggage to avoid fees.
"Many airlines consider checking a bag not to be a right, but a privilege - and one with a hefty fee attached. The Airline Passenger BASICS Act will guarantee passengers one checked bag without the financial burden of paying a fee, or the headache of trying to fit everything into a carry-on," she said.
A representative for the Air Transport Association, however, says Landrieu is focusing on the wrong problem.
"Rather than limit choice and regulate what airlines can or cannot offer to passengers, regulators should continue working on the efficiency of the airport checkpoint," Steve Lott, spokesman for the Air ATA, told the Washington Post. "Service choices in the airline industry are not new. Airlines began offering customers the option to pay for services they value, including checking a bag, more than three years ago."
It is unlikely that Landrieu's bill will get a vote before the end of the year, given the tight congressional calendar.
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