Alaska Air Loses TSA Fees Appeal
From Bloomberg News:
Alaska Air Group, the Seattle-based parent company of Alaska Airlines, lost an appeal of a Transportation Security Administration finding that the carrier owes more than $1 million in security fees.
The U.S. Court of Appeals in Washington ruled Friday that Alaska Air failed to prove TSA acted arbitrarily in determining the amount. Fees of $2.50 per bag were imposed on all carriers following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks to help pay for enhanced screening.
TSA found that the airline failed to collect the fee on some flights, or failed to remit the money collected. Attorneys for Seattle-based Alaska Air argued that the TSA erred by including flights on dates not covered in its audit period, and by not counting almost $739,000 in passenger fees the carrier says it paid but didn't collect from passengers.