Online Travel Sites Cry Foul over Airline Fees
Airline fees are coming so fast that even some travel agents have a hard time keeping up.
Now, some who help plan and book travel are demanding that the travel industry come up with standards that would let them more easily provide and display up-to-date information on a flight's final cost, from the fare to baggage fees.
"There's a real problem getting that information at the same time and in the same manner as the airlines themselves disclose it," says Art Sackler, executive director of the Interactive Travel Services Association, which represents online travel sites. "When someone goes to book their travel, they expect the information to be there. The less it's there, the more they're surprised and the more upset they get."
U.S. airlines first began charging to check bags in 2008 as fuel prices soared. Since then charges for services that were once considered part of the airfare have increased and multiplied, with the airlines relying on the extra revenue to keep them afloat during the economic downturn. Carriers globally brought in $2.5 billion in bag fees alone during the 12 months ended in September, says analyst Vaughn Cordle of AirlineForecasts.
"A la carte pricing is certainly benefiting the airlines," says Jay Sorensen, president of IdeaWorks, an airline consulting firm. But, he says, it's hurting "travel agents and online travel agencies."
Some travel agents and online sites also want their customers to have the option of paying the extra fees at the time they book their tickets.
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Source - USATODAY
