The airline industry has publicly opposed a move by the US Department of Transportation to mandate that all airlines offer refunds of the fees when your bags are lost or delayed. The top 10 airlines paid out more than $3.1 billion in baggage fees in the past 12-month to June 2010.
The Air Transport Association also opposes the move on the grounds that each airline should have the choice of offering a refund, depending on competition in the marketplace.
Only a few airlines, including Alaska Airlines, now offer automatic refunds if a bag is lost or delayed. Most major airlines will consider refunding your bag fee only after you file a claim, and the refund will usually come in the form of a discount on future travel.
The airline group also said it opposed the refund idea because a government mandate like this would only raise fares for everyone, including people who don't check bags.
The DOT said it hadn't included a definition of a timely delivered bag, leaving that up to the airlines and the public to suggest. The US DOT hopes to adopt a rule by spring.