A Democratic bill with 6 Democratic cosponsors · See all 7 cosponsors
Last activity — Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The bill is known as the Forbidding Airlines from Imposing Ridiculous Fees Act of 2026 or the FAIR Fees Act of 2026. It requires the Secretary of Transportation to create regulations within 270 days that prohibit air carriers from charging fees that are unreasonable or disproportional to the costs the air carriers actually incur. The targeted fees include charges for changing or canceling reservations, checked or carry-on baggage, seat choices or assignments, priority boarding, and any other flight-related passenger fees. When setting up standards to judge these fees, the Secretary must consider specific factors like processing costs, labor costs, and whether a canceled seat can be resold. Additionally, the standards must ensure that passengers traveling with children age 13 or younger can sit with those children at no extra charge. The Secretary is also required to update these standards at least every three years.
Yes· 3 of 12
- Scored +6
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill protects consumers by requiring the Secretary of Transportation to prohibit airlines from charging unreasonable or disproportional fees for changes, cancellations, baggage, and seat selections.
- Scored +5
Would children be better off under this?
The bill ensures that children age 13 or younger can sit with accompanying passengers at no additional charge.
- Scored +5
Would households on low incomes be better off under this?
Lower-income households will find air travel more affordable when burdensome and disproportionate fees are eliminated.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Fair Fee Limits: Under Section 2(a) and Section 2(b), the bill could benefit everyday travelers by prohibiting air carriers from imposing fees—such as baggage, change, cancellation, seat choice, and priority boarding fees—that are not reasonable and proportional to the costs incurred by the air carriers.
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Free Family Seating: Under Section 2(c)(3), passengers traveling with children age 13 or younger are explicitly protected so that they can be seated with those children at no additional charge.
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would children be better off under this? — The bill ensures that children age 13 or younger can sit with accompanying passengers at no additional charge. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — Lower-income households will find air travel more affordable when burdensome and disproportionate fees are eliminated. Would people in middle age be better off under this? — Middle-aged adults benefit from lower and more proportional airline fees for travel and family seating. Would middle-income households be better off under this? — Middle-class households will save money on common airline fees such as baggage checks, seat assignments, and ticket changes. Would retired people be better off under this? — Retirees traveling for leisure or to visit family will save money on regulated airline fees. Would people over 65 be better off under this? — Seniors traveling by air will benefit from protections against excessive baggage, change, and seat selection fees. Would students be better off under this? — Students traveling for school or breaks will benefit from restrictions on high airline change and baggage fees. Would women be better off under this? — Women, who frequently travel with children or manage family logistics, benefit directly from family seating protections and fee limits. Would people in their twenties and thirties be better off under this? — Young adults who travel frequently will benefit from prohibitions on unreasonable airline baggage and change fees.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill protects consumers by requiring the Secretary of Transportation to prohibit airlines from charging unreasonable or disproportional fees for changes, cancellations, baggage, and seat selections.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The legislation mandates clear standards and regular updates regarding airline fees, increasing transparency for the public. Does this give the federal government more power? — The bill grants the Secretary of Transportation new regulatory authority to establish and enforce fee standards for air carriers.
- 9/22/2026
- Read twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
- 7 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in Senate
One bill Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Richard BlumenthalDemocrat · Connecticut
Ruben GallegoDemocrat · Arizona
Jeff MerkleyDemocrat · Oregon
Bernie SandersIndependent · Vermont
Ron WydenDemocrat · Oregon
Sheldon WhitehouseDemocrat · Rhode Island
Elizabeth WarrenDemocrat · Massachusetts