Orbitz Worldwide Inc. announced that it will eliminate change and cancellation fees for most hotel bookings, joining the trend towards the elimination of fees among online travel Web sites.
Previously, the fee at Orbitz was $25 per transaction.
“We are totally obsessed with ensuring Orbitz.com is the best place to book a hotel on the Web,” said Barney Harford, President and CEO, Orbitz Worldwide.
Competitors Expedia Inc. and Priceline.com announced they would no longer charge the fees for most hotel reservations earlier this year.
But consumers still have to pay any change and cancellation fees imposed by the hotels themselves. Depending on when the change or cancellation is made and the type of hotel, those fees can be significant.
Orbitz’s announcement comes on the back of months of consecutive fee cuts from online travel agents. All major online travel agencies now sell airline tickets without charging a booking fee and several have reduced the booking fees they charge.
By David Wilkening
