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American adds service fee
American Airlines is adding a £5 booking fee to its non-web tickets in a bid to boost online bookings, but has kept agency-booked tickets exempt from the charge.
The fee of £5 per booking, irrelespective of whether it is a single or return ticket, will be applied to all UK reservations centre and airport location bookings. It is being introduced from Monday (December 6) and also applies to tickets bought through these channels that are redeemed with Aadvantage programme awards.
UK sales director Leslie Peden said: “These steps are necessary to ensure that we can compete effectively in a marketplace where charging fees for personalised, value-added services is becoming a common practice.”
American Airlines says the fee does not apply to agents or travel websites, which already charge their own service fees.
Industry analysts are predicting that other US airlines could follow suit.
Report by Ginny McGrath
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