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The Worldly Traveler
Peter Greenberg October 13, 2006PAGES: 1 2
Nickel-and-Diming at the High End
It's often noted that affluent travelers, perhaps because they are already paying premium prices for room and board, hate nickel-and-diming as much, or even more, than travelers of more moderate means.
So what do a bottle of water, a towel and a phone line have in common? They are easily recognizable to frequent travelers as the weapons of nickel-and-diming, aimed against them almost every time they take a trip.
Resort fees, minibar charges and Internet access rates are the new battleground.
And what's particularly interesting is how few in the travel business are reacting with intelligence, intuition and common sense to a growing revolution among travelers.
Why is wireless free in the Toronto airport but $10 at Dallas/Fort Worth? Why is the Air Canada lounge in Toronto free, while American, United and other airlines want to hit you up for another $10 to use wireless in their lounges? The same is true -- sadly -- for most U.S. airports. O'Hare, LAX and Miami (the 2006 version of last flight out…) all charge to go online. But here's another reason to fly in and out of Fort Lauderdale: The entire airport is wireless -- and free.
Battles are now being fought between some more visionary vendors at U.S. airports and the airport authorities themselves -- because the stores and restaurants (and in one case, an airline -- Continental) want to offer free Wi-Fi to their customers. The airports are fighting them because they see the Internet as another source of revenue, a profit center. But what the airport executives don't realize -- and this is the commonsense part -- is that if someone gives us free wireless and we can actually sit and work at our computers while waiting for flights, we're much more likely to buy something to eat and drink -- realizing even greater revenue. It's a win-win for everyone.
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