Democratic bill would create a right to free checked, carry-on bags

Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) has proposed legislation that would establish a right for all airline passengers to have one free checked bag and one free carry-on, an attempt to scale back the baggage fees that many airlines have started to charge passengers.

"Many airlines consider checking a bag not to be a right, but a privilege — and one with a hefty fee attached," Landrieu said. "The Airline Passenger BASICS Act will guarantee passengers one checked bag without the financial burden of paying a fee or the headache of trying to fit everything into a carry-on."

Aside from this right, Landrieu's bill would also require all airlines to give passengers a seat, drinkable water, and access to a bathroom.

"When an airline advertises a flight, that is how much it should cost, plain and simple," she said. "Passengers should not be charged additional fees for checked or carry-on baggage, drinkable water or other reasonable requests. Air travel can be a stressful experience for many reasons, but unfair fees for basic amenities should not be one of them."

In addition to her BASICS bill, S. 1913, Landrieu on Tuesday also introduced a bill that would require the federal government to issue regulations that impose a fee on airlines that charge for the first checked bag and the first carry-on bag. Under that bill, S. 1918, airlines could be charged a $2 fee per passenger; it would cap total industry fees in a given year at $260 million.