Airlines add 52 additional fees to raise flight costs

Once again, flying has become more expensive.

Since January 2012, 52 different fees have been added, giving the worldwide airline revenue an increased 11 percent in 2012, according to an article by TravelNerd.

Of the additional fees, 36 are direct fee increases. But the remaining charges come from either unbundling fees, increasing fee price ranges and redefining fee policies.

“These changes have had a tremendous impact on U.S. travelers, especially on families. Travelers really have to be extra cautious when booking a flight. U.S. carriers are becoming creative at charging consumers extra fees,” said Alicia Jao, VP Travel Media at TravelNerd.

Unbundling means charging two separate fees for what was previously into one. One of the fee policies redefinition came from Allegiant, who charged the same $50 for overweight bags, but had the weight cut off change from 51-70 to 41-70.

Baggage fees, the complained-about cost, were responsible for 28 of the 52 fee changes.

“Despite Spirit’s infamous $100 per carry-on bag fee,” Jao wrote in the article, “the majority of fee increases were within $5-$10.”

EMAIL: alovell@deseretnews.com