Why don't we put restrictions on airlines that take advantage of passengers?

Airlines are cramming economy class seats closer and closer, charging lots of money for "preferred" economy class seats (while not reducing the base fare), and charging for luggage. All of these are unethical means used to rake in greater profits at the expense of its passengers. With more passengers per square foot, overhead bins get filled quickly and they don't guarantee a spot for your bag. It's ridiculous. Here's what I'm proposing.

Airlines should be required to:
- Add 6 inches of legroom to economy class seats
- Stop charging for every checked bag. Allow for 1 checked bag free. That way people won't cram everything into a carry-on.
- No charging for regular aisle seats toward the front. That's ridiculous.
- Meals for flights longer than a certain duration.

It makes me angry when everyone hovers around the boarding gate 30 minutes prior to boarding. But they only do this because they aren't guaranteed a spot for their bag, which is the airline's fault.

With these new requirements, airlines would still make huge profits… Just slightly lower than at present, and it would be more fair and comfortable for the passengers.

There's nothing unethical about it.

You might want to look up what is actually unethical. Airlines refusing to supply you the seat at the fare you want to pay is not unethical behavior.

They were losing business to the a la carte airlines charging for each service, and created a competitive airfare by packaging extras in upgrading. Choose an airline or price that includes better services. Besides which, under Donald Trump is DEREGULATION. Profit margin on minimum ticket was averaging only 4%. The profit is in the upgrades.

Your reasoning is flawed, and your basic premise - huge profits - is false.

Passenger brought this on to themselves.
When you paid FULL Fare in the past flying was very pleasant. A Meal, luggage, a pillow, a magazine seat booking was included in the price.

Then some cheap person said. I do not want luggage give me a cheaper ticket.
Another said I can bring my own food. I do not want the meal. Give me cheap seat.

The passengers wanted CHEAP seat. Airlines complied. SEAT is cheap now pay for the other stuff one item at a time.

If you want the extras you PAY for them. WANT more legroom then PAY FOR IT. Want MORE luggage then PAY for it.

Passenger do not have to fly. If you do not like the legroom on Airline A then you can go on Airline B, WALK, Take a bus or train.

As MILLIONS line up everyday to get on board they are willing to be on the sardine can with limited luggage.
The flights your Parents had a decade or two back in history were more comfortable. They were also more expensive.

It is simple economics. Supply and demand. Price and demand. Airlines just like everyone else like to make money.
Passengers like all purchasers of anything want the cheapest price possible.

The empty seat does not make money. The heavy suitcase costs fuel to haul. The full fare package does have more legroom does allow more luggage. The bargain cheap price means YOU give something up.

So stop searching for the absolute cheapest seat. Stop searching for discount, bargain, freebie. PAY for what you want.

First Class is really nice. Low fare Airlines are low fare because they do not have FIRST CLASS stuff.

Travel Agents have years of experience and knowledge on package deals to get you a FAIR reasonable price for what you desire.
The magic booking site makes lots of money doing the work for you. It just looks for the FASTEST flight on some Airlines. NOT ALL possible ways to get there and not ALL Airlines.

Travel Agents do this all day everyday to make their living. YOU expect to figure it all out for FREE online in a few minutes.

Many many very nice flights and planes go everyday from Many places to many places. The main Airport deals with the masses.

The other side of many Airports has a smaller side that deals with the few that want to pay for the extras. They are not on cheap tickets site.

If you do not like what is offered then do not buy. If you do not like one Airline then take another one. If passengers stop buying then Airline will change what they offer.

Why don't we put restrictions on airlines that take advantage of passengers? YOU CAN very easily with your wallet and purchase decision. Want Full Service then pay Full Service Fare. Want First Class service then pay First class Fares.
Want cheap fare then you get cheap.

Stop charging for every checked bag. Allow for 1 checked bag free. That way people won't cram everything into a carry-on.
I guess you are not interested in the real cheap fare that charges extra for carry on.
Many Airlines allow one checked bag. As passengers abused it they added size and weight restrictions.
I have seen a piece of "luggage" two FEET by three feet by six feet it was over 300 pounds. The passenger did not get to fly a second time with this luggage. It was cargo and went as such. He was convinced because he packed two shirts inside it counted as luggage.
I have seen a passenger that needed six luggage carts for his luggage. He had 29 pieces. He paid extra for extra luggage. He had a good price on his seat.

DO NOT LIKE the price, do not like the seat, do not like the departure time, do not like the luggage limit then DO NOT BUY THE TICKET. Get MILLIONS of others to do the same.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the average "profit per passenger" of the seven largest US airlines was $17.75 .
Starbucks makes that on a week of coffee purchases.

Every wonder how much Walmart makes? The partial owners are worth over $170,000,000,000. Not bad for a family run general store that got larger. Easy to verify just look up the Waltons.

No one is forcing you to fly. If you don't like the treatment of a airline, choose another form of transportation.

They are not unethical. You can refuse to use those airlines. There are airlines that are not doing that… Southwest Airlines for one. If they start losing customers and begin to fly with only partially filled aircraft, they'll come back to the more comfortable sizes… Or go broke. That's how capitalism works… Supply and demand.

People line up 30 minutes before the flight because they want to… Not because they are more likely to get a space for their bag.
- airlines don't allow you to board until your group is called.

American did add extra seats in the mid-2000s and have reduced it because it wasn't a "selling point".

Most carry-ons don't change size no matter how much or how little is stuffed inside.
- Do you choose JetBlue or Southwest because they allow free bags? Do you even use this option?

Why would you want government regulations for something that is related to business operations not safety?!

Fly First Class - problem solved

All your suggestions will do is cause the airlines to raise the base fare to cover the cost of these additional services. They are not unethical. Their customer base demanded an ala carte format so they didn't have to pay for services they did not want.

Your whole argument is flawed. A government can't tell an airline what they can charge for and what they can't. If you want a cheap service on an airline there are plenty of no frills airlines. But if you want extras, then you have to pay for them. Airlines don't make the profits you seem to think they do. Nobody is forced to stand at the gate for 30 minutes people do that voluntary. If you want extra leg room you can get it by traveling business or first class and again people do that voluntary. You very clearly haven't got a clue how much it costs to run an airline. If they did everything you propose you would very soon see a lot of airlines going out of business.