Majors Vow Not To Follow Spirit's Carry-On Bag Fee

Spirit's plan to charge for carry-on bags is gaining no traction with other carriers, said Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.). Executives from American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, United Airlines and US Airways all called Schumer over the weekend to assure him they would not follow Spirit's lead and charge for carry-on bags in the overhead bin, the senator said.

"We have begun to put the brakes on runaway and out-of-control airline fees," Schumer said.

Spirit CEO Ben Baldanza told the Associated Press on Sunday that neither the senator's concerns nor the other airlines' reluctance to follow suit would dissuade the airline from implementing carry-on fees on Aug. 1.

Spirit plans to charge $30 for each bag in the overhead bin if paid for in advance or at airport check-in. It intends to charge $45 at the gate.

However, the government may end up getting a piece of that money. Schumer and five other Democratic senators plan to push for a law to designate carry-on bags as essential air travel items, making it possible for the federal government to tax any revenue carriers collect from carry-on fees.

Also, Benjamin Cardin (D-Md.) and Mary Landrieu (D-La.) recently introduced a Senate bill that would ban all airlines from charging fees to use overhead bins.