"The airlines are not honoring their contract with passengers, " agrees Kate Hanni, founder of the Coalition for an Airline Passengers' Bill of Rights.

NPR: Holding Pattern: Flight Delays are Going Up, Up, Up

Kate Hanni, of passenger rights organization FlyersRights, said the aisle and window surcharges made air travel an even more daunting prospect for families.

CNN: Fliers stung by charges for window and aisle seats

"Kate Hanni's regrettable experience and her advocacy have helped keep Washington focused on this issue, " Robert Land, a senior vice president with JetBlue Airways, told The Washington Post.

NPR: Attention, Airlines: This Is Your Passenger Speaking