Baggage fee revenue rises 12 percent

U.S. airlines collected more than $974 million in baggage fees in the first three months of the year, according to federal figures.

That’s up from $864.7 million a year earlier.

Atlanta-based Delta Air Lines collected $197.7 million in baggage fees in the first quarter of 2016, making it the second-highest ranked airline for baggage fee take, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics.

At No. 1 was Fort Worth, Texas-based American Airlines, which collected $262.5 million in baggage fees in the first quarter. Chicago-based United Airlines collected $158.9 million, putting it in the No. 3 spot.

American is the largest airline measured by total first quarter revenue at $9.4 billion, just ahead of Delta at nearly $9.3 billion and United at $8.2 billion.

Ultra low-cost carriers Spirit and Frontier ranked fourth and fifth in baggage fee revenue, respectively. Spirit collected $102.6 million in the quarter, while Frontier collected nearly $70.8 million. They are the seventh and ninth biggest airlines by total first quarter revenue.

Southwest, Atlanta’s second-largest carrier behind Delta, does not charge for the first and second checked bags.