CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The price of the average plane ticket is getting cheaper but it's getting more expensive to pick where you sit.
Some of the country's most popular airlines are charging passengers more to sit toward the front of the plane.
On American Airlines, which accounts for around 90% of flights out of Charlotte Douglas International Airport, folks have to pay anywhere between $30-$50 extra for a seat near the front.
The Idea Works Company estimates seat revenue alone generates $4.2 billion a year for U.S. airlines.
Traveling by air is becoming especially tricky for families, because seats even right next to one another can vary significantly in cost. That makes it difficult to predict how much you'll end up paying on a flight.
To make matters worse for consumers, you can't see how much these seats cost until after you buy your ticket. And it's not just one airline that does this, it goes for almost every major carrier.
Now, some lawmakers are trying to crack down on these fees. Similar to President Joe Biden's fight against concert junk fees, lawmakers are pushing for more transparency from airlines so people know what they're really paying for upfront.
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