Lawsuit decries Spirit’s $2 fee as consumer fraud

An Illinois resident filed a class-action lawsuit against Spirit Airlines, claiming the carrier’s latest $2 fee amounts to consumer fraud.

Harlene Newman filed the lawsuit earlier this week, Reuters reported. Newman says Spirit falsely represents the fee as a government-mandated requirement, and that the fee violates consumer-fraud laws in Illinois. She seeks unspecified compensation for damages.

In January 2012, Spirit Airlines tacked on a $2 “unintended DOT consequences” fee to each ticket. The fee was in response to a Department of Transportation regulation that required airlines to disclose all taxes and fees in their advertised airfares.