Travel agents and travelers are getting used to fees on a regular basis for just about anything other than the absolute basics of travel.
But the most aggravating fees are not for the extras, little and otherwise. The charges that irritate the most are mandatory. Either for something you may not use, or for something that should just be included in the price.
Brendan Vacations has a particularly annoying example of this with their tours — a mandatory “documentation fee.” Now, mind you, the fee is only $10 a booking. But, that’s not the point.
Plus, for anyone who wants documents earlier than 21 days prior to departure, the fee is $35.00. Travelers outside the U.S., including in Canada, pay $50.
This isn’t an optional if you want paper documents instead of electronic documents fee, or a late booking fee, or anything like that. It’s a flat-out fee on top of trips that can cost $3,000 and up for a week for two people, it’s an infuriatingly stupid fee.
(The company does have some five day Ireland trips that start at $799 a person, but they also have longer trips that can cost as much as $3,600 a person for 15 days.)
No one is going to cancel a tour over $10. But, it leaves a bad taste in travelers’ mouths for not a lot of money. And, it invites wondering, “What will they charge for next?” Will there be a phone fee for reservations, or for questions, or a motorcoach surcharge (Curiously enough, Brendan also states in their fine print that if “coaches are used other than advertised, a refund of $10 a person will be made.”)
As silly as this is, no doubt Consumer Traveler readers have run into even more bizarre fees. Please feel free to vent and share some of them in comments.
Photo: ©Leocha
Janice Hough is a California-based travel agent a travel blogger and a part-time comedy writer. A frequent flier herself, she’s been doing battle with airlines, hotels, and other travel companies for over three decades. Besides writing for Travelers United, Janice has a humor blog at Leftcoastsportsbabe.com (Warning, the political and sports humor therein does not represent the views of anyone but herself.)
