The Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations Demands Airlines Comply with Probe into Skyrocketing Fees

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) Chairman Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) sent letters to five major U.S. airlines, demanding that they fully comply with PSI’s inquiry into fees charged on top of airfare, which are often hidden, costly, and confusing. PSI’s inquiry proceeds as three of the largest U.S. airlines recently raised their domestic checked-bag fees, in some cases charging $40 for a single checked bag.

In November, Blumenthal sent letters to each of the five airlines, requesting that each produce documents and information regarding unexpected costs and expensive fees. Since then, as the recent letters note, “the overall pace and sufficiency of productions” from each of the airlines in response has been insufficient and raise serious questions about the airlines’ “willingness to cooperate with the Subcommittee’s inquiry on a voluntary basis.” PSI sent letters to American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines.

Blumenthal’s letters state that the airlines must provide the outstanding information and records by April 2, 2024, or “the Subcommittee will have no choice but to consider alternate means to obtain information needed to conduct its inquiry.”

The recent letter to American Airlines can be found below. The original letters to American Airlines, United Airlines, Delta Airlines, Spirit Airlines, and Frontier Airlines are also available.

Dear Mr. Isom:

On November 19, 2023, the Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (“PSI” or “Subcommittee”) requested information and records from American Airlines (“American”) as part of an inquiry into how fees imposed on goods and services affect American consumers, including how airlines charge fees for specific options and services apart from the advertised price of airfare (“ancillary fees”).  PSI’s request sought eight categories of information and records related to American’s ancillary fees and asked that responsive materials be produced by December 11, 2023.  In the nearly four months that have elapsed since, the overall pace and sufficiency of productions from American in response to PSI’s requests have fallen below the Subcommittee’s expectations and raise serious questions about American’s willingness to cooperate with the Subcommittee’s inquiry on a voluntary basis.

I write to inform you that the Subcommittee expects American’s full and timely response to the requests detailed in my November 19 letter.  Unless American provides the outstanding information and records by April 2, 2024, the Subcommittee will have no choice but to consider alternate means to obtain the information needed to conduct its inquiry.  In addition, to assist the Subcommittee’s understanding of how American implements and discloses ancillary fees, please make American’s Chief Commercial Officer available for a transcribed interview with Subcommittee staff by no later than April 26, 2024.

Sincerely,

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