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Friday, September 25, 2009

Airlines add $10 surcharge for 3 days around holidays

The Sunday after Thanksgiving is traditionally the busiest travel day of the year and the major airlines this week have given you another reason to plan travel on a different day. The carriers are matching a United move to add a $10 "miscellaneous surcharge" -- where do they come up with the phony names for a fare increase? -- for travel on Nov. 29, and Jan. 2 and 3. The January days tend to be the heaviest for Christmas-New Year's travel.

I was alerted to this new fee by Rick Seaney, CEO of the FareCompare Web site, who says that the last-minute holiday fare sales of last year are unlikely to be repeated this year. Check it out at http://www.farecompare.com/

Read this news in conjunction with the post below about how much airlines now collect in change and cancellation fees.  
Posted by Tom BELDEN @ 5:10 PM  Permalink | 4 comments
Comments   
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 7:36 PM, 09/25/2009
    This sounds like a deceptive marketing practice. Am i correct to presume that this "surcharge" won't show up when i search fares, but will mysteriously be added when i purchase the ticket? Where is the FAA? Where are the AG's? Anyone know a good class action attorney?
    — NickEeee
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:13 AM, 09/26/2009
    This sounds like a "ala carte" charge for an "ala carte" fare..Sorry, but the airlines could come up with a better label..sorta like.."The we want to fly less flights on certain holiday periods so that we can give out pilots and flight attendents another day off" charge YHS
    — STEVE5444
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 10:44 AM, 09/28/2009
    Just gotta love the "free market" where you can get a bailout (remember 911) and then turn around and charge a premium to those who can afford it the least(it doesn't affect frequent fliers just regular patrons).
    — Nothing but the truth
  • 0 like this / 0 don't   •   Posted 1:16 PM, 09/28/2009
    Dear "Nothing but the truth". Your post somehow implies that airlines benefited from 9/11, which could not be further from the truth. That tragic event started a slow landslide that resulted in numerous bankruptcies in the industry. The "bailout" was a loan guarantee, not a grant, and most if not all (I believe) were fully repaid with interest to the government (US Airways' was repaid in full in 2005). Back to the subject, charging a premium for peak demand is normal business practice. Hotels do it every day (try to book a room a "rack rate" in Daytona Beach during the Daytona 500), Toyota dealers did it for Prius cars when fuel was through the roof, etc.
    — Beneful


4 comments
About Tom Belden
Tom Belden has been reporting about Philadelphia International Airport and other air travel subjects for more than 20 years, writing columns for The Inquirer's Travel and Business sections. His reporting (with colleague Craig McCoy) on baggage handling problems in Philadelphia have been credited with helping to improve the system. His previous blog was called Road Warrior. He can reached at tbelden@phillynews.com.
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