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BLOG: Spirit Airlines Blames $2 Fee On Government

By Jim Donovan: Spirit Airlines passengers will now be paying a new $2 fee that the carrier has added to the cost of a plane ticket. The airline is calling it a "Department of Transportation Unintended Consequence Fee" or DOTUC fee.

Spirit says the fee is necessary to cover the unintended consequences of new government regulations that require airlines to hold fares for 24 hours after booking without penalty.

By taking a seat out of inventory Spirit says it prevents them from selling it to someone who definitively wants to book a reservation and leads to seats not being filled. They say the consequence is that they must spread costs over fewer customers, thus raising the cost for all passengers.

Extra fees are not unusual at Spirit. The airline even charges a $20 fee if you want to bring a carry-on aboard the plane.

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