In early summer, car rental and RV rental agencies need their vehicles moved from winter destinations like Arizona and Florida to northern spots where rentals are more in demand in the summer. In exchange for helping these …
Travel
Airline Already Collecting the Most Passenger Fees Wants $1 Billion More of Them Annually
In 2011, no U.S. airline pulled in more revenues from fees than Delta. The airline collected an industry-leading $767 million in reservation cancellation and change fees, and another $863 million in baggage fees. Delta isn’t …
Disney World Regains Title of Priciest Theme Park, $100 Admissions Not Far Off
I’ll see your theme park admission price hike and raise you a buck. Disney always aims to be at the forefront of film and theme park innovation. Apparently, it feels the need to be the leader in charging the most for theme park tickets as well. Less than a week after Universal Studios Orlando raised its basic ticket to $88, Disney World …
Self-Serve Revolution: How Touchscreens Are Replacing Human Customer Service
Back in the day, screens allowed you to do one thing: Sit down with popcorn and watch Blade Runner. Today, they can do things that even go beyond what last generation’s science fiction could imagine. Those old sci-fi writers did …
Hey Airlines, Do You Really Want to Split Families Up on Planes?
In a purely business sense, it’s easy to understand why airlines are more or less forcing passengers to pay fees for seat reservations on planes: more fees equal more profits. But the scheme is hated by families — and is likely …
The Theme Park That’s Raised Admissions Prices—Twice in Less Than 12 Months
Right now, the theme park with the most expensive basic admission ticket in the U.S. is located, unsurprisingly, in Orlando. What may be surprising is that it’s not a Disney park.
Memorial Day 2012: Big Holiday Weekend = Big Spending Weekend
A new study analyzing comments on social media reveals something interesting about Americans’ plans for the big Memorial Day holiday weekend: Most of us seem to be planning on opening our wallets, big time.
Restaurants at Car Dealerships? Jungle Gyms and Water Parks at Malls? New Reasons to Go Shopping
Businesses will go to great, and sometimes unusual, lengths in order to entice customers into going shopping. With the goal of becoming a “destination,” rather than just another place to shop, malls and car dealerships are getting creative. They’re installing new features and additions in order to woo consumers and set themselves apart …
The Fee That Credit Card Issuers Are Leaving Behind
Banks, the thinking goes, have never met a fee they didn’t like. Yet one credit card charge that has been standard for years—the “foreign transaction” or “foreign currency” fee, which tacks on an extra 3% or so to every hotel …
Uh-Oh! Fee-Crazed Airlines Are the Most Profitable
Apparently, plenty of travelers aren’t turned off by airlines that charge extra for everything from paying for flights with a credit card to $3 bottles of water on board the plane. Lately, the most profitable carriers in the U.S. …
Got $488? That’ll Just Cover One Day’s Admission at Disneyland for a Family of Four
The latest price hike at Disneyland raises a one-day “Park Hopper” ticket from $105 to $125 for adults. Kids ages 3 to 9—yep, if you’re 10, you’re an “adult”—get a measly $6 off the adult price.
U.S. Airlines ‘Only’ Collected $3.36 Billion in Baggage Fees Last Year
Airline passengers in the U.S. collectively paid $3.36 billion in fees for carry-on and checked bags last year. The figure actually represents a decrease from 2010, when we dropped $3.4 billion on baggage fees. Chances are, you …