alaskaair Passengers Furious as New 'Carbon Offset Fee' Quietly Doubles in Fine Print While Execs Collect $12M Bonuses
Passengers flying alaskaair this week are venting on social media after a routine price check revealed that the airline's optional carbon offset fee has been stealthily doubled to $8 per ticket, buried deep in the fine print of booking confirmations. Internal documents leaked by a former employee show that alaskaair's CEO and three other top executives awarded themselves $12 million in collective bonuses last quarter, tied directly to 'sustainability initiative profitability.' Critics are asking: Are these fees actually offsetting carbon, or are they padding the payroll? The airline insists the fee is 'voluntary' and 'critical to net-zero goals,' but a growing number of flyers are calling for a federal audit, pointing out that alaskaair's own website still shows the old $4 price in multiple locations. One traveler tweeted, 'I paid $8 for peace of mind, but it looks like I just funded someone's yacht.' The Department of Transportation has not commented, but sources say they are 'reviewing consumer complaints.'