Schumer Says Passengers at "Breaking Point" With Carry-On Fees

Sen. Chuck Schumer wrote a letter to Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner today, demanding he close the loophole that is letting Spirit Airlines charge up to $45 for carry-on luggage. He wants to reverse a ruling that says carry-on luggage isn't "reasonably necessary," and thus isn't subject to federal taxes. That means Spirit can pocket all the cash from the fees without paying any taxes. Schumer told the Daily News, "Peanuts may not be a necessity, but the ability to carry on a bag is." Schumer said that if Geithner wouldn't stop the fees, he would introduce legislation that would.

Spirit Airlines will put their new policy into effect on August 1st, charging passengers $30 for a carry-on bag if the check in online and $45 if they check in at the airport. Passengers are still allowed one bag that would fit under their chair, such as a purse or briefcase, free of charge. Schumer said that such fees let the airline artificially avoid taxes on luggage and ticket prices, according to YNN; making the bags a "necessity" for travel would then make them exempt from a separate fee.

Spirit Airlines was the first to start charging for a second checked bag in 2005, and Schumer is worried that this new fee may inspire other airlines to follow suit. Schumer wrote in his letter, "When one airline starts charging for a service that was previously standard, other airlines eventually do so too."

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By Jaya Saxena in News on April 12, 2010 3:52 PM

Comments [rss]

ides_of_march

Schumer would win the NY marathon every time if there were an ambulance at the front of the race.

ides_of_march

If they can't charge the fee, they'll just add it to the price of a ticket. Either way, they have a bottom line they need to respect.

Of course, the Brooklyn Bolshevik hasn't the foggiest idea about running a profitable business. He does, however, excel at driving a once prosperous nation into economic oblivion.

imadick

i don't think he really cares how the airlines slice their fees, he just wants to make sure he can tax it. uncle sam needs his piece of the pie.

harlemblipster

i fly with Spirit all the time since they have fares for as cheap as a penny sometimes (excluding taxes). it is an unreasonable fee, but if i'm flying to south america for less than one hundred dollars, i'll take it.

rschnabel

Charging for carry on luggage? What's next? Charging people for smelly socks? How about sneezing? Or for not wearing a tie.....

... seriously.

Spirit of 76

Charging for the use of lavatories, since it isn't "reasonably necessary."

nicemarmot

And Schumer has now managed to oppose the only airline fee I support! Since the airlines only sporadically bother to enforce their own rules about carryons, I haven't been able to carry on a roller bag in ages. The last time I tried I got pulled out of the boarding line and told my bag was too big, as people with bags twice the size of mine strolled past me. When my husband pointed out that my bag wasn't actually oversized, they took his too. I am 100% cool with charging people for carryons. Maybe they'll actually start thinking about what they pack, and the fact that other people need space too.

Mr. Shankly

+1

longacre

No one actually flies Spirit, so no, the public at large is not at any "breaking point." Until a major airline does it, it's seriously not a big deal.

Politburo

Are the above posters asserting that proper remittance of taxes is not a concern for a Senator? Specifically one who sits on the finance committee?

longacre

For what it's worth, he's also BFF's with jetBlue, which competes with Spirit on a number of routes out of Fort Lauderdale.

Politburo

Don't get me wrong.. I understand the tax issue is a pretense. But it's still a legitimate issue for a Senator.

buttface

BREAKING: MAJESTICALLY SOARING THROUGH THE AIR IN GIANT MECHANICAL FEATS OF HUMAN ENGINEERING EXPENSIVE

buttface

here's an idea, senator: let Spirit do whatever the fuck they want. if passengers don't like the fees, they'll choose another airline. if all the airlines do it, people can walk with their own god damned feet. go back to tooling around DC in a lexus and stop trying to "protect" everyone and everything.