Carriers embrace fees while opposing bipartisan proposal to improve airport facilities Alexandria, VA – With airlines raking in almost $1.2 billion in baggage fees in the second quarter of 2017 and with major carriers reportedly looking at further fees for carry-on bags and other services, the American Association of Airport Executives (AAAE) has renewed its call for the U.S. airline industry to drop their opposition to a pending bipartisan proposal in Congress to modernize a local airport user fee known as the Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) that finances the construction of new runways, terminals, gates and other airport improvements. “Why do airlines think a bag fee is good and an airport facility fee is bad? Because one goes in their pocket and the other builds facilities that can increase competition, resulting in lower fares,” AAAE President and CEO Todd Hauptli said. “It’s understandable that the carriers are singularly focused on their bottom lines, but we need policymakers to look past the self-serving arguments of airline executives and take meaningful steps to address airport infrastructure needs by approving the bipartisan proposal in Congress to adjust the antiquated federal cap on local airport user fees.” According to data released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation's Bureau of Transportation Statistics, airlines collected nearly $1.2 billion in baggage fees during the second quarter of 2017, a new record and the fifth consecutive quarter that bag fees exceeded the billion-dollar threshold. Airlines collected another $737 million in reservation change and cancellation fees during the second quarter. At the same time the airlines are collecting record baggage fees from their customers, they continue to oppose a modest bipartisan proposal to update the federal cap on local PFCs to $8.50 for originating passengers that was included in the annual funding bill for DOT (S. 1655). That measure, which is strongly supported by AAAE, was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee July 27 on a unanimous 31-0 vote.