Spirit Airlines sparked ire last week by announcing it would start charging $45 for carry-on luggage. And it's not just average, in-debt Americans who are angry: The wrath was felt all the way in Washington, where New York senator Chuck Schumer says he wants such airline fees outlawed. Should airlines be able to "nickle and dime" their customers' most basic on-board rights? (Watch the Spirit CEO defend the carry-on charge)
This fee is downright criminal: Charging an extra fee for a carry-on is an "abusive practice," said Schumer in an April 12 press release. For business people who rely on the convenience of carry-on, as well as families who need carry-on luggage to stow medicines and other "emergency supplies," Spirit Air's fee is an inexcusable "slap in the face."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Trump's actions cut a wide swath across Hawaii's economyIn Depth The state's tourism and farming sectors are two of the largest hit industries
-
5 immersive books to read this April for a brief escapeThe Week Recommends A dystopian tale takes us to the library, a journalist's ode to her refugee parents and more
-
'The winners and losers of AI may not be where we expect'Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
