What Does Your Airfare Actually Buy? “While they’ll certainly shop to find that base airfare, they’ll turn around and spend some of that money they saved on amenities to have a more pleasant trip, whether that’s a seat with more legroom or lounge access or whatever else,” Mr. Harteveldt said. Revenue from fees and other payments is “growing every year because it works,” said Jay Sorensen, the president of IdeaWorksCompany, a consulting firm that focuses on the airline industry. “The concept of unbundling fares has enabled carriers to keep base fares low, while providing customers with more choice about what they value and are willing to pay for to meet their individual needs, at price points that work for their budgets,” she said in an email. Mr. Hudson, the consumer advocate, said that many times, travelers are best off visiting individual airline websites to see the full array of options available to them.
