Blumenthal suggested that the fees are pure profit for the airlines because they do not need to create new seats each time the fee is charged or incur any other expenses at all wh

Executives from United, Delta, American Spirit and Frontier airlines will testify Wednesday to defend billions of dollars in airline seating fees at a U.S. Senate subcommittee hearing.

A U.S. Senate subcommittee is taking aim at airlines and their growing use of fees for things like early boarding and better seats.