Delta tried to charge “Frustrated Traveler” an illegitimate bag fee yesterday by claiming it was over the weight limit. He knew, however, that unless the bag had been eating tubs of frosting throughout the flight, it was still the same 47 pounds it was when he weighed it himself before boarding. [More]
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Starwood American Express Card Hikes Annual Fee To $65
By 8.6.10
The annual fee for the Starwood American Express card is going up from $45 to $65. Is it worth the price to pay for the right to use a credit card? [More]
Spirit Airlines Wants To Charge You For Talking To A Human
By 8.3.10
Yesterday, we wrote about how the CEO of Spirit Airlines thinks he’s doing consumers a favor by charging for carry-on bags. Now, Big Ben Baldanza is saying that he wants to start charging passengers for the right to talk to a real human being at the airport. [More]
Get $20 Back From Comcast Just By Asking
By 8.3.10
Without telling him there would be a fee, Comcast charged Tom $30 to fix the cable wiring going to his house. By simply questioning the charge and expressing his disappointment he wasn’t notified about it, Tom was able to get $20 back. Here is the chat transcript of his success, which is also enjoyable for the inane interjected advertisements that try to sound like human conversation. [More]
Spirit CEO: Carry-On Fees Are A "Consumer Benefit"
By 8.2.10
In terms of public relations, 2010 hasn’t exactly been a banner year for Spirit Airlines. First, they ticked people off by announcing they would begin charging up to $45/bag for carry-on luggage, then they introduced “pre-reclined” seats. They were shut down for about a week because of a strike, and then there was the ill-advised “check out the oil on our beaches” promo. But the company’s CEO doesn’t understand why travelers aren’t lining up to thank him. [More]
Spirit Starts Charging Up To $45 For Carry-On Bags
By 8.1.10
Prepare to shift that carry-on bag to your other hand as you reach for your wallet because today is the day Spirit rolls out their new fee for carry-on bags. Billed as an ostensible solution to gate delays, the worst problem you never experienced, the fee ranges from $20 to $45. [More]
Bank of America Makes You Renew Stop Payments On Checks Twice A Year
By 7.28.10
At many banks once you stop payment on a specific check, it’s dead forever. Bank of America has a different policy, though, the New York Times reports. Once you stop payment on a check, that’s just the beginning of a lifetime ordeal. You’ll have to renew your stoppage every six months, otherwise the check is fair game to be cashed or deposited once again. [More]
Are Travel Boycotts Hurting Arizona Hotels? Will They?
By 7.28.10
The controversial immigration law passed by Arizona’s government back in April has lead to over 20 organizations (including cities, towns, school districts, churches and universities) joining a travel boycott of the state. But is it hurting business? Too soon to tell, says USAToday. [More]
Don't Give Greyhound Tickets As Gifts
By 7.27.10
If you buy a Greyhound bus ticket for someone else, Greyhound will charge you a flat $18 “gift ticket fee,” which must be the worst named fee in the history of transportation. On short rides, like a one-way trip from Cambridge, MA to Hartford, CT, it bumps the price up from $22 to $40. [More]
Report Says The Poor Subsidize Credit Card Reward Programs
By 7.27.10
A new study from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston says that credit card reward programs have a sneaky hidden cost that the card holder doesn’t have to bear. This occurs because the fee that a retailer pays to run a credit card varies with every card, and reward cards cost more to process–in other words, the card issuer passes the cost of the rewards program on to the retailer. The retailer adapts by raising prices across the board, which distributes the cost of the reward program among all shoppers. [More]
United Airlines Is The King Of Fees
By 7.22.10
A newly released study shows that airlines around the globe are raking in cash from ancillary revenue like baggage fees. Worldwide, carriers collected $13.5 billion in fees last year, an increase of 43% over the previous year. And sitting high atop that pile was United Airlines. [More]
Your Complete Big-Ass Guide To Annoying Airline Fees
By 7.14.10
As reported earlier today, the Government Accountability Office thinks airlines could do a lot more to be transparent about the fees they charge. And buried about 45 pages deep in the GAO’s report are two very helpful tables detailing fees for checked bags and other items that U.S.-based airlines charge extra for. [More]
Government Study Says Airline Fees Should Be Disclosed To Consumers
By 7.14.10
A new study from the Government Accountability Office says that the “optional” fees that airlines have invented for checked and carry-on bags; meals; blankets; early boarding; and seat selection are not adequately disclosed and consumers are not able to easily compare the total cost of flights offered by different carriers. [More]
United Gate Bag Template 1" Shorter Than Check-In's, Makes You Gate Check Bag
By 7.13.10
He thought he was golden but radio host Todd Schnitt had to check his carry-on unexpectedly because the baggage check template at the gate was one inch shorter than the one at check-in. [More]
Fly Your Bike For Free On JetBlue In July
By 7.7.10
It’s Tour de France time in, well, France. And though JetBlue can’t get you to the world-famous bicycle race, they’ll help get you in the spirit this month by allowing you to bring your bike with you free of charge. [More]
7 Tips For Saving On Airline Baggage Fees
By 7.2.10
The other day we wrote about the new UPS Luggage Box, which gives users the option of checking, carrying-on or shipping your baggage for your plane trip. But over at MSNBC, they’ve come up with a whole list of ways to not get beaten down by the baggage fee system. [More]
Continental Introduces New, Fancier Cocktails… For A Fee, Of Course
By 7.1.10
A lot of air travelers partake of liquor while flying, whether it’s to calm the nerves or just something to make watching the latest Robert Pattinson movie on a 6″ screen palatable. But for those passengers who find a gin and tonic lacks the razmatazz to match their personality, Continental will soon have the solution… and be willing to charge you premium for it. [More]
UPS Wants To Replace Your Luggage With Their Luggage Box
By 6.30.10
As checked baggage fees continue to rise — and with nickel-and-dime carriers beginning to charge for carry-ons — it’s becoming more and more popular for air travelers to ship some of their belongings directly to and from their destinations. Now, UPS has taken it to the next level, introducing a cardboard suitcase that gives you the options of checking, carrying-on or shipping. [More]
