The advertising in the newspaper offers a terrific fare. The website for the airlines confirms it. If you call the airlines and book the flight, there may be a surprise when the credit card statement arrives. There might be an extra fifteen to twenty five dollars added to the quoted price. It is a service charge for having the airline staff make the flight booking for you. It is a charge to you for doing business with them.

It is unfair and sneaky.

You can avoid this additional fee by booking the flight yourself, through the airline’s web site. Apparently, web services like Expedia, Travelocity, Orbitz and others add on a fee too. It is an easy ‘do-it-yourself’ at the airlines website to save yourself some dollars.

Catherine Forsythe
Director of Operations
FlyingHamster:  http://flyinghamster.com/

[tag]travel, flights, bookings, fees, airline website, do it yourself, advertising[/tag]