Popular for flying on a low cost, budget airlines have become a staple of the transportation industry. Corporations have long aimed to strike a balance between keeping ticket prices low and offering a hint of luxury, but lately, the scales seem to have tipped—profit now takes priority, and passengers are left with fewer perks and shrinking amenities.
In March of 2025, Southwest announced they would be removing their two free checked bags to all non-tier members flying Southwest after May 27. This was one of the selling points for many flyers, as the cost of checking bags can be a big expense, especially for families travelling with multiple bags.
As an industry leader to budget airlines and a company known for its good customer service and perks to its fliers, frequent or not, the fact that Southwest is getting rid of features with half of a decade of tradition is a sign that companies are aiming for cuts rather than new ways to provide service.
In addition to the service cuts, ticket prices have increased over 25% according to the Consumer Price Index, with airlines coming up with new ways to charge travelers for their fares. 20 years ago, there was no such thing as a checked bag fee, but today nearly every airline charges a fee of some sort, with some of them costing as much as $40 dollars a bag.
Along with Southwest, other companies such as JetBlue, United and Delta have introduced an economy plus section. For up to six inches of additional legroom, conniving companies charge economy plus customers up to 30% more than an average plane ticket. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the average economy ticket is $385. With the average economy plus ticket costing roughly $500, or $115 more than a standard economy ticket, every inch is costing customers $19.25, creating an egregious price to benefit ratio.
Behind all of the costs added lies a swindling system with intention to profit. According to a Senate subcommittee investigation on ‘junk fees’ set by airlines, the prices made by industry-leaders American, Delta, United, Frontier and Spirit aren’t tied to costs of the services provided. Rather, fees are generated by algorithms to maximize profits and milk their customers for every dollar they are willing to pay.
Between 2018 and 2023, American, Delta, United, Frontier and Spirit summed together $54.1 billion dollars in revenue off of tax exempted extra costs, a fee they can give to customers without receiving government deductions. According to Forbes, that’s twice more than the brand value of Netflix. Off of seat fees and extra legroom charges, the five companies made $12.4 billion, with some charging as much as $319 just for a bit of extra room.
These hefty fees run counter to what airlines should be trying to accomplish, since customers tend to stay loyal to airlines that provide good service. A 2015 J.D. Power study found that travelers who had a positive experience were not only more likely to fly with the same airline again, but also had a 65% likelihood of recommending it to others. In contrast, when travelers chose an airline based solely on price, only 32% were likely to recommend it.
While airlines shouldn’t be charging excessively, their goal has and will always continue to be to make a profit for themselves and ensure that they can beat competing airlines. For example, two budget airlines, WesternGlobal and ExpressJet, both filed for bankruptcies as they were unable to keep up the competition with other airlines.
As a result of these problems, airlines raise their costs and find new ways to turn a profit and ensure company stability. This is why companies are adding additional costs and finding things to get rid of. Seat fees and the removal of free checked bags were and are just ways to stay competitive with other air travel companies.
Coincidentally, between 2022 and 2023, Spirit and Frontier were reported by the Senate subcommittee to have paid gate agents and other personnel $10 dollars every time they flagged a traveler for not following the airline’s baggage policies. Personnel were then reported to have forced a bag fee or have caused the passenger to miss their own flight. Spirit and Frontier were reported to have spent $26 million on this endeavor.
Nothing is wrong with wanting more but when the stick is dragged through the mud and amenities are being wiped off to the call of more money, things then start to go sour. The concept of a budget airline is centered around the idea of helping a traveler fly on a lower cost with simple amenities. It was never the idea that companies are to minimize amenities to the fullest potential of profit for their own luxuries.
The solution to the problems in the lack of service and troubles of staying afloat in the airline industry is simple. As JFK said, “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” Companies should focus on customer satisfaction rather than profit maximization and studies show that will grow the clientele and the company.
