Fees

poll

US Airways Says $15 First Checked Bag Fee Is A Huge Success

US Airways CEO Doug "OK To Drive" Parker says that US Airways new $15 fee for the first checked bag is a huge success. It's caused a 20% drop in checked luggage — which has improved baggage handling performance — all while adding revenue during a tough time for airlines. More »

3:56 PM on Tue Dec 2 2008
By Meg Marco
5,139 views, 68 comments

Most discussed Kuonji: Why do people bring big carry on baggage anyways? You have to put it through security and it's a pain more »

Mervyn's

Mervyn's Charges $15 Fee To Talk To Customer Service

Reader Christi reports that Mervyns, a mid-range department store that is closing all its locations, now charges you a $15 fee if you want to talk to customer service over the phone. When Christi called a store to complain, they told her to call the number back, accept the charge, then ask them what the heck was going on. Thing is, Christi was just calling to make a payment by phone, More »

7:26 AM on Tue Dec 2 2008
By Ben Popken
6,800 views, 37 comments

Most discussed sleze69: Unless there are clear cases where they will refund the $15 "deposit," I am pretty sure this is illegal. more »

funny

American Airlines Charges Fees To Non-Passengers

In an attempt to improve margins during tough times, American Airlines will now charge fees to non-passengers, The Onion reports. (Thanks to ubermex!) (Photo: joyosity)

9:42 AM on Mon Dec 1 2008
By Ben Popken
8,919 views, 28 comments

recession watch

Airfares Sinking Due To Lack Of Demand

The crappy economy is taking its toll on airfares. Demand is sinking taking airfares with it, says USAToday. More »

4:05 PM on Wed Nov 26 2008
By Meg Marco
13,129 views, 60 comments

no etf

Reader Escapes Sprint With No ETF Thanks To Admin Fee Increase

Reader Kenneth says he escaped Sprint without paying an ETF because of our post "Escape Sprint ETF-Free Over Administrative Fee Increase." He sent us the transcript of his chat with Sprint so you can see how he did it. More »

4:21 PM on Mon Nov 24 2008
By Meg Marco
9,660 views, 45 comments

citibank

20% Of Citigroup Cardholders Can Expect Rate Increases For 2009

If you have a Citigroup-issued credit card and you haven't had a rate increase over the last two years, expect to be notified of a 2-3% rate increase on your November statement. Congratulations! You're going to help Citigroup offset its losses in the global credit card division, whether you were directly part of those losses or not. As the New York Times points out, by doing this Citigroup is breaking the promise they made to Congress in 2007 that they would not arbitrarily raise rates on accounts—which may be why they're offering a fairly lenient opt-out policy. More »

6:20 PM on Mon Nov 17 2008
By Chris Walters
6,429 views, 61 comments

Most discussed stevejust: It's times like this, I yearn for the good old days. I mean, the good old days like Shay's Rebellion more »

bad business

Vision Therapy Center 'Pencils In' Appointment Without Full Consent, Then Charges $50 No Show Fee

Elysse was told by an optometrist to consider "vision therapy" as a treatment for her child's strabismus (crossed eyes), but the business she was sent to—Children's Vision and Learning in Versailles, Kentucky—turned out to be one of those places where selling is their top priority, and medical care simply the product being sold. After being lied to about the cost, given a hard sell during the first appointment, and even being asked, "Don't you care about your child's vision?", Elysse decided to look elsewhere. Now, four months after the experience, the business is billing her $50 for a "penciled in" appointment she never agreed to keep in the first place. More »

4:28 PM on Mon Nov 17 2008
By Chris Walters
8,615 views, 60 comments

Most discussed Jonbo298: Any company that says "Don't you care about (your) X person/thing/place" you immediately do not do business with anymore. more »

success stories

Reader Talks Citibank Down To A Lower Interest Rate On Her Credit Card

Nicole was hit with a surprise 6 point interest rate increase on her Citicard, so she fought back. Her story is a good reminder that you should look at all of your options and be prepared to argue on your behalf, even if you're not in a position where you can just pay off the entire balance and walk away. More »

1:27 PM on Mon Nov 17 2008
By Chris Walters
7,069 views, 47 comments

Most discussed h3llc4t: I like how she casually threw in that the rep didn't have an accent. Classy. more »

bad business

United Adds $800 In Fees To $560 Trip, Loses Customer For Life

We have a feeling this is going to happen with increasing frequency as airlines continue to bleed once-loyal customers for extra revenue: Greg Dean, the cartoonist behind Real Life Comics, has had enough of United gouging him. First it was the second checked bag fee, then the first checked bag fee. Then they doubled the pet-in-cabin fee to $175 each way, which works out to more than the cost of a human round-trip ticket.

And let's not forget the exorbitant booking fee for using miles for one of our tickets. The actual FLIGHT was only $280 round trip per ticket, but with the booking fee TO USE THE MILES TO PURCHASE A TICKET, we wound up paying over $500.

When Dean tried to convert the two tickets into travel vouchers, the airline charged him another $300. And that, readers, is when the airline killed off one of their better customer relationships. More »

10:13 AM on Fri Nov 14 2008
By Chris Walters
25,100 views, 162 comments

Most discussed kepler11: "...1st checked bag*: $30 2nd checked bag 50 pet-in-cabin fee 350 booking fee (estimated) 150 travel voucher conversion fee 300..." I have to say that more »

fees

Goldman Furious Over Our Posting Insider's Confession About Ripping Off Non-Profits

Goldman-Sachs read my post, "Goldman Rips Off Non-Profits, Endowments, Foundations, And Charities" about a conversation I had with a Goldman-Sachs trader where he boasted about ripping off charitable organizations with excessive fees, and they're hopping mad. Here is the lovenote sent by Melissa Daly, VP of Corporate Communications: More »

10:03 AM on Wed Nov 12 2008
By Ben Popken
54,480 views, 142 comments

Most discussed mugsywwiii: She has a point. You extrapolated the comments of one employee and applied them to the entire company. more »

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