extras

Courtesy of United Airlines

United Airlines Creates “Essentials,” “Enhanced” Bundles For Extra Legroom, Checked Bags

In a day and age when it seems as if you can bundle just about anything from cable, Internet, and phone service to those little extras you’re charged during a hotel stay. So it makes sense that airlines would also offer the same options for customers looking for extra legroom or an additional checked bag.  [More]

JetBlue Now Selling Food On Longer Flights

JetBlue Now Selling Food On Longer Flights

JetBlue is getting into the box-o-food business on flights longer than 3 hours 45 minutes, it announced yesterday. The boxes are priced at $6 each, and there are supposed to be five different styles, including a “Wake Up” box with breakfasty food, a “Cheer Up” box with cheeses and fruit, and a “Shut Up” box that’s filled with nothing but peanut butter and saltines. (I may have made up that last one.) Fortunately for frugal travelers, the airline plans to continue offering free snacks as well, but they probably won’t tell you what to do as decisively as the boxes. [More]

Don't Even Look At Your Hotel Room's Minibar Or You Might Get Charged

Don't Even Look At Your Hotel Room's Minibar Or You Might Get Charged

My wife and I are there right now. We opened the minibar last night to put a piece of pizza in there in a pizza box. This morning, there’s a $26.04 charge for food on the bill slid under our door. Why? My wife just called to ask and was told, “If you open the mini bar door, there’s a sensor in there and if you move anything in there… you get billed for it.” In our case, we must have jiggled a $20 bottle of wine.

Cox: What, We Need Permission To Bill For Sports And Movie Tiers?

Cox: What, We Need Permission To Bill For Sports And Movie Tiers?

Cox apparently doesn’t understand that they need permission before billing for extras like sports and movie tiers. The cable provider surprised reader Adrienne with a $130 bill for a triple-play package that was supposed to cost $100 per month, including all taxes and fees. When Adrienne called to complain, Cox straightened out the situation by tacking on yet another unrequested charge, this time for Starz.

NYT Editorial Board: Hey Congress, Textbooks Are Too Expensive!

NYT Editorial Board: Hey Congress, Textbooks Are Too Expensive!

The New York Times editorial board called on Congress to make college textbooks more affordable. The measure they endorsed wouldn’t do anything Soviet like directly cap prices, but it would require textbook makers to tell professors exactly how much books would cost impoverished students.