![]() ![]() "I think consumers will pay those fees because we all pay $1.50 to take our money out of the bank" at ATM machines," Rice said. Kate Rice, an independent travel analyst in New York, said the fees won't deter ticket sales because they are reasonable. She said she wasn't surprised by the announcement because when Orbitz was launched last June, it was an open question whether it could be profitable giving its services away, she said. "It's probably a matter of survival, actually," said Carol Baroudi, owner of Baroudi and Associates in Arlington, Mass. And charges a $10 fee for each airline ticket, plus a separate $5 fee if a customer wants an electronic ticket for the flight.Īnalysts say the Orbitz fee was probably inevitable in an industry hit hard by the economy and the recent terrorism in the U.S. charges a $5.99 processing fee for each airline ticket order, which includes up to eight tickets on the same itinerary. The other major online travel site, Expedia Inc.'s, doesn't charge a fee for airline tickets purchased online. and KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, each charge a $10 per-ticket fee, according to a spokeswoman. Only actual ticket purchases will incur a fee.Ĭompetitor LP doesn't charge a ticketing fee, though two airlines, Northwest Airlines Corp. 14 the first time a customer uses the site, Jacobs said.Īirfare searches using the Orbitz Web site will continue to be free. Saturday morning, will be waived through Jan. The new fees, which went into effect at 12:01 a.m. But research has shown that even with small fees, customers would be willing to use, he said, because of overall ticket savings. Roland Jacobs, the company's chief marketing officer, said today that Orbitz began its operations this past summer without a fee to "build a customer base" in a competitive market. The fees won't apply to hotel, rental car or other accommodations, according to Chicago-based Orbitz. In an announcement posted on its site this weekend, the company said it will charge $5 for each airline ticket ordered online, with a cap of $10 for up to four tickets. Online travel vendor has for the first time begun charging a service fee to customers buying airline tickets from its Web site. ![]()
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