You give me something I want, we agree on a price, I pay for it. It’s the way the world has worked for thousands of years.
These days? Not so much.
Today, with an increasing number of businesses, it goes more like this: You provide something I want, we agree on a price, I pay, then you tack on fees to fatten your bottom line.
Unreasonable fees are more than just a drain on your finances. They’re insulting – the financial equivalent of a cold slap in the face.
Now, in no particular order, here are 10 of the world’s most insulting fees. They made my list for one of three reasons: They’re unreasonable, you’re getting little or nothing in return, or they’re ridiculously overpriced.
Airlines: Checked baggage fees
Most major carriers charge $25 to check one suitcase – a lot more if it’s oversized, overweight, or both.
This fee didn’t exist until recent years, and for good reason: The price of a plane ticket should obviously include luggage.
Isn’t that an integral part of traveling long distance? No other travel-related services – buses, trains, hotels, cabs, rental cars - charge for luggage.
This isn’t a fee – it’s a sophomoric attempt to disguise a higher price.
Workaround: There are two major airlines that don’t charge this insulting fee: Southwest and JetBlue. Fly them if you can.
If you can’t, check this chart or one like it to see how much your airline is charging and use that as an incentive to pack light.
Some airlines also allow you to avoid baggage fees by using their branded credit cards. For more ideas, see 10 Tips to Save on Baggage Fees.
Airlines: Carry-on baggage fees
At least when you pay to check a bag, there’s a service involved.
Someone has to load it, unload it, and make sure it gets safely back into your hands.
Charging for a carry-on bag is charging for nothing whatsoever. Nobody is touching your bag but you, and making this fee indefensible.
Fortunately, Spirit and Allegiant are the only airlines that do it, at least so far.
Workaround: Avoid flying Spirit, Allegiant, or any airline that charges for doing nothing. If they’re the only airlines available, drive. If that’s impossible, check with UPS or another freight carrier about shipping bags.
Airlines: Lap fees, pet fees
If you’ve got a child less than 2, it’s typically free to carry them on your lap for a domestic flight.
Leave the country, however, and you might pay a “lap fee” of 10 percent of the ticket cost. And not the cost of your ticket: a full-fare ticket – the most expensive available.
Delta, United, US Airways, and American all have some form of this policy, and for what? The airline is performing no service: no extra room, no assistance, nothing.
Ditto when you’re flying with Fido. If you have to ship your pet in the baggage compartment, you’d expect a handling fee.
But bring them with you in the cabin, and you’ll pay up to $125 each way – and the carrier counts as a carry-on. Again, the airline is doing nothing, but collecting a hefty fee.
Workaround: Check with the airline before you book the ticket to see what fees, if any, you can expect. If they’re high, shop around: Some airlines charge less than others.
Check this article for more specific strategies on lap fees, and this one for flying with pets.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider
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