Longer Layovers Could Mean Even Higher Fees

Passengers buying airline tickets beginning in July will see higher security fees being imposed by TSA ... and those with long layovers could face even higher prices.

Congress agreed to raise the fees during budget negotiations in December. Where the fee was $2.50 for a nonstop flight and $5 for a trip with a layover ... the new fees is a flat rate of $5.60 per boarding ... so if you change planes, you pay each time you walk down the jetway.

And, if you have a flight with a layover of more than 4 hours, the agency says that should cost you an additional $5.60.

Fox Business News reports that TSA is presenting new definitions of what constitutes a round-trip flight and what is a layover. The agency says it has submitted an "interim final rule" in the Federal Register to restructure the security fee, which was established following the 9/11 attacks. The revenue goes into the Treasury general fund, and is used to offset the cost of TSA's existence.

In a statement, Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, said that while there needs to be adequate funding for aviation security, this adjustment is "disappointing."

"In the budget agreement for the current fiscal year, the fee was raised knowing that a significant portion would be used to fund unrelated projects by Congress, instead of using all of the new revenue to pay for improved security activities," Dow said. "Not only did the fee increase, but now, if passengers have layovers of longer than four hours, they are charged the entire fee again."

The rule is open for public comment for 60 days.

FMI: www.tsa.gov