From a consumer protection point of view, I think there is a difference between add-ons that are mandatory (like Security and fuel surcharges) and fees that are incurred voluntarily (paper ticket).

Change fees/Cancellation fees are in a gray area. Sometimes they are not voluntary, and the airlines should be encouraged to waive them in appropriate circumstances (death in the family, illness, etc.)

But if you decide to change your plans for business reasons, then that is a cost of doing business. If you decide to change your plans for convenience, that's the cost of convenience.

The issue with change fees is not their existence, but rather, their cost. Is $145 excessive? I think that depends a lot on the fare. Maybe it would be fairer to impose a change fee of 10% of the base fare for Q/L and 5% for V/H/B--thereby tieing the cost of changes to the cost of the fare, while confirming the principal of greater flexibility for higher fare classes.

On reward tickets, changes and cancellations are no less work for the airline than changes/cancellations to revenue tickets. I see no problem with a fee. Again, the issue is reasonableness. I do not see them as being out of line where they are now.

As for MLL guest fees...forget it--there is absolutely no consumer protection interest there.