Airlines Collect $21 Billion In Fees In 2010

A $25 baggage fee here, a $75 ticket-change fee there, and pretty soon you’re talking real money — in this case $21 billion.

That’s how much 47 global airlines earned in ancillary revenues in 2010, according to a report published Monday. The Amadeus Yearbook of Ancillary Revenues, which is compiled by the Shorewood, Wis., market research company IdeaWorks, shows that the carriers’ ancillary revenues were up 39 percent over 2009. These include legacy revenues such as duty-free sales and the sale of frequent-flier miles to partners as well as newer offerings like baggage fees, in-flight WiFi and priority boarding.

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