Airline Checked Bag, Reservation Change Fees Just Hit a Record

The U.S. passenger aviation industry set new records in the first quarter of 2015 for checked bag and reservation change fees, according to the Associated Press.

Airlines made $1.6 billion from those fees, the highest amount for a first quarter since bag fees were introduced in 2008.

Part of the reason for the climb is simply that more people are flying, with 3.2% more seats filled year-over-year, according to the report. Airlines are putting the fees on more passengers, though, and fees are getting higher — the AP notes that some fees can reach a whopping $200.

Over the past 12 months, the airline industry has pulled in $3.6 billion in checked bag fees and $3 billion is reservation change fees, the AP said.

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