Seriously. It happened to Sira Mas, who checked into a boutique hotel in Chicago recently. She found a $25 per night fee on her bill for parking. But she didn’t have a car. “The parking fee was mandatory for every visitor,” says Mas, who works for an e-commerce...
The FTC announced public hearings on junk fees two years ago. The Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina M. Khan announced an open meeting of the Commission two years ago: Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) on Junk Fees. The Commission will vote on whether to...
Mandatory hotel fees are different from airline fees. We live in polarized times. When the last President talked about getting rid of “junk fees,” he hit on one thing about which almost all Americans agree — mandatory hotel resort fees have got to go....
When it comes to hotel amenities, the lodging industry is trying something new: It’s giving you what you want. Hotels are downplaying signature scents and recycling programs, which I can promise you no guest ever asked for. Instead, they’re advertising hotel amenities...
Watch out for mandatory destination fees and other creative surcharges. Robert Kraus encountered the worst junk fee ever on a recent visit to Washington, D.C. That’s when his hotel added a surprise $20 “Daily Mandatory Destination Charge” to his...
Bipartisan resort fees legislation is needed today. Just before the US Senate left for an August recess, two Senators, Democrat Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota and Republican Jerry Moran, introduced bipartisan resort fees legislation. It is the Hotel Fees Transparency Act,...
These accomplishments have been achieved by working closely with our members, national media, the travel industry, the Department of Transportation (DOT), Congress and many other agencies.
– Removal of restaurant fees from DC area eateries — this is an ongoing project
– Creation of DOT Dashboard to outline consumer rights after cancellation of a flight
– Bi-partisan bill to eliminate hotel resort fees introduced into House of Representatives
– Creation of the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections
– Advertised airfares now include airfare plus, mandatory taxes and fees
– Lost/damaged/delayed luggage compensation limit increased to $3,800
– Passengers have 24 hours to change or cancel their nonrefundable tickets without penalty
– Once an airfare is purchased, that airfare and ancillary fees cannot be increased
– Families flying together act passed by Congress that requires family members 13 years of age and younger to sit with other family members at no additional cost.
