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A family stacks their luggage on a cart after getting dropped off curbside before checking in at the Virgin America terminal at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on November 23, 2011 in Los Angeles, California.

Senator Mary Landrieu (D-LA) of Louisiana has recently proposed legislation that would allow airline passengers to check one bag for free on each flight.

“Passengers have been nickeled-and-dimed for far too long, and something has to be done about it,” Landrieu says. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano added that mandating one free checked bag would also cut down on baggage screening costs by $260 million a year. Representatives of the airlines oppose Landrieu’s bill, which has been sent to the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee for a hearing and consider such government regulation of commercial services inappropriate.

Consumer Travel Alliance Director Charlie Leocha thinks the bill is a good starting point for the government. "It's letting the airlines know that Congress is beginning to get set up with their stonewalling when it comes to ancillary fees," Leocha says.

Leocha and his organization have been working in Washington to increase price transparency in the airline industry, especially when it comes to baggage fees. Currently no airline discloses their baggage fees beforehand, preventing customers from comparing prices before booking their flight, according to Leocha.

Defenders of the airline industry argue that the fees are reflective of the stalled economy, fuel costs and bankruptcy. But Brandon Macsata, the executive director of the Association for Airline Passenger Rights, disagrees. He says the cost of fuel is already factored into the cost of the ticket, making the extra baggage fees unnecessary. As for bankrupt airlines, Macsata says, "I think that's more a reflection of the airline not running it's business well."

According to Leocha, the situation is only going to get worse. He says airlines are looking for ways to add more fees such as one on seat reservations or different prices depending on the duration of the trip. Leocha finds passengers don't mind paying for extra services when they understand what they are paying for, but airlines purposely keep their policies murky. "In confusion, they believe they can get more money out of their passengers," he adds.

While the proposed bill may not go anywhere, Macsata says it marks a change in public opinion of the airline industry. He says airlines do not have as much political clout as before because they have increasingly ignored the concerns of the public, the industry and the government.

"They are killing heir own industry and they don't even realize they're doing it," Macsata says.

WEIGH IN:

How appropriate is it for the government to regulate the details of commercial airline services, especially during a time when the airlines are pinching every penny they can to survive? How much does paying to check luggage hamper your travel experience?

Guests:

Brandon Macsata, executive director, Association for Airline Passenger Rights

Charlie Leocha, director, Consumer Travel Alliance