Oct 16, 2009 8:06 pm US/Eastern
Travelers Furious Over Major Holiday Airfare Hikes
Surcharges, Peak Travel Fees Keeping Fliers Grounded For Thanksgiving, Christmas
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
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Planes line up to take off at LaGuardia Airport in New York.
AP
Soaring airfares are already putting a damper on holiday travel plans, as fluctuating prices, taxes and fees conspire to keep some would-be travelers grounded.
Airfares for a recent business trip to India were far cheaper for the Van Valkenburgs of Long Island than getting their college kids home for Thanksgiving and their youngest to a holiday lacrosse tournament.
"I am very aggravated – this is so annoying – I have to pay extra baggage fees because my kids have sporting equipment, and unaccompanied minor fees," holiday traveler Kathleen Van Valkenburg says.
Those unaccompanied minor fees can be $100 each.
"It's getting harder and harder to enjoy travelling," grandmother Lucille O'Brien says.
O'Brien watched her Thanksgiving airfare to Atlanta climb, and bemoaned the extras she's about to pay for. She'll dole out to check her bag, select a seat early, and even pay tips for her wheelchair.
"They're taking advantage of the traveler," O'Brien says.
Families everywhere are learning that, unlike last year, procrastinating is proving costly.
"These prices went up since yesterday," said one man booking flights.
Ticket prices in the last week alone rose between six and 52 percent for the most popular travel days around Thanksgiving and Christmas, when a $10 surcharge will be added to many flights.
George Hobica, with airfarewatchdog.com, says it's important to be patient.
"It may pay to wait – if the fare is so high that it is beyond your reach, what do you have to lose?" Hobica says. "To check it tomorrow or check it in an hour, because it may go down.
"People are afraid of buying the fare too high, then it goes down. Well, Jet Blue and Southwest will give you a full refund of the fare difference – other airlines charge almost $150," Hobica says.
Hobica recommends shopping around, finding an alternate airport, and reading the fine print when it comes to extras, like pet fees.
"Some airlines charge less for in-cabin pets," Hobica says. "Jet Blue and Southwest charge less; United recently reduced their fee from $175 to $125 each way."
Some airlines don't charge for the first bag.
"I pay more on my excess surcharge for baggage than I do on my actual ticket," traveler Eric Kashi says. "That's a normal thing for me."
Some experts suggest buying a portable luggage scale to confirm the accuracy of the airline's scales, because overweight bags can cost you hundreds of dollars.
(© MMX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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