Klobuchar, colleagues take aim at carry-on baggage fee

U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and five other Democratic senators want to tax any U.S. airline that wants to charge passengers for their carry-on bags.

The legislation announced Wednesday comes after a small Florida airline, Spirit Airlines, said recently that it plans to begin charging its customers as much as $45 to bring a bag aboard its aircraft and put it in an overhead bin.

"For Spirit Airlines, 'service with a smile' has been replaced by 'service with a cash register,'" Klobuchar said in a statement. "A carry-on baggage charge hits virtually every air traveler -- whether it's the business 'road warrior,' the weekend tourist or the family taking their annual vacation. Enough is enough."

Air travelers have been charged a barrage of fees for once-free amenities since 2008. Critics say charging for carry-on bags is stepping over the line.

The legislation would designate carry-on baggage as a necessity for air travelers, and force airlines to pay a tax on that revenue.

The senators argue this would keep more airlines from following Spirit's lead.