with extra leg room or one with an empty seat next to it. some earnings are renting apple ipads, preloaded with movies or paying to get a first class hot meal in coach. some airlines let you skip baggage claim and have the luggage delivered to your home for a 30-dollars fee. for passengers the a la carte menu allows them to buy luxuries they want without paying for others they don't need. for airlines the fees help keep them profitable. airlines operate on a narrow profit margin and the fares don't cover their cost. the average fare increased just over 3% for the past decade but cost of jet fuel nearly tripled. hiking fares deters air travel so the airlines are adding optional fees and they are not subject to the 7.5% excise tax on base fares so it costs passengers less than raising fares while giving them choices. the choices are offered in many ways, not just during booking but in follow-up emails, check-in and even on the mobile