US senators criticize airlines over increasing 'junk fees'

Members of a United States Senate subcommittee took aim at airline executives for using an expanding menu of fees to charge customers for early boarding, better seats, and other comforts that used to be part of the ticket price.

Senator Richard Blumenthal says the federal government should review and perhaps fine the airlines for their use of what he called junk fees.

Mr Blumenthal, the chairman of the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations, said seat fees were pure profit for the airlines because they don't have to create new seats or incur other expenses by allowing customers to pick where to sit.