Everyone, except maybe airline, hotel, and other travel industry executives, are irritated by junk fees.
In addition to everything else, the fees are often incredibly regressive, especially in the hotel industry, and hurt those who can least afford them the most.
Take airline fees. While “carrier-imposed surcharges,” now up to $2,000 or more on business class flights to London, are higher for premium travelers, other fees, like baggage and seat assignment fees, are a bigger proportion of economy class tickets, especially for those who either can’t afford to fly regularly or don’t have the kind of jobs where they rack up status on employer-funded trips.
Car taxes and the worst — hotel junk fees.
Car rental taxes are often proportional at least, though fees for additional drivers and airport surcharges are often a flat or near flat amount.
But hotel fees are the worst. And here’s why: The resort fee, while actually taxable, is not itself a tax. It’s a flat amount per room or suite.
This means that, yes, you can book the smallest, cheapest room and pay the same resort fee as the Presidential suite. The same issue arises if a family chooses two rooms because they are less expensive than one suite — they may or may not think about paying two fees.
At some casino hotels fees cost more than the room rate.
At low-priced hotels, especially casino hotels — Las Vegas is a prime example — the resort fee can be as high or higher than the least expensive rooms. In Hawaii, book a condo hotel and the ‘cleaning fee’ — generally a flat rate — can also be almost as much as the room itself. But that fee, while it may be higher for a larger unit, is proportionally higher for a smaller unit, and is generally a flat amount per stay… even for those who can only afford a few days. Ant the cleaning/damage fees are the same for a no-view unit compared to an ocean view unit — which could be double the cost.
Now, parking and other charges also tend to be a flat rate. But at least those are optional. Want to save money on, say, minibar prices? It is possible to find a convenience store or stop at a grocer on the way to the hotel. (Or, as a frequent traveler-friend does for stays of more than a night or two, use a delivery service for snacks and drinks.) If snorkel gear at a resort is expensive to rent, often independent operators will rent for less. Parking depends on location, but in an urban area, outside lots may be less; in a resort, using taxis COULD come out less than a rental car.
Resort junk fees, cleaning fees, and “damage deposit waivers” are generally non-optional, with no way out.
Now, to be fair, taxes are a necessary evil. Travel taxes especially often make a big difference to state and local budgets, so those will always be additional.
Hotels can argue that some amenities, such as fitness centers, parking, and even housekeeping, are expensive and can have additional charges. (Charging for basic internet in this day and age seems a bit much, but that’s a different post.)
It is not about making a profit — it’s fairness.
It’s not about hotels, rental cars and others making a profit. Travel suppliers have to make money to stay in business. But if the true cost of a room especially needs to be a certain amount, include the necessary costs in the before-tax price. Spread those costs proportionally so that those who book the most expensive rooms/suites pay more fees.
It’s not just more honest, it’s more fair.
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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.)
