| Travelers beware of hidden fees you are going to be | | | | fuel surcharges last year at $14, now costs $184. |
| subject to as you prepare your vacation plans. These | | | | That is still the lowest fuel surcharge to Europe. |
| hidden fees are gonna getcha in addition to the | | | | Airline Preferred Seat Selection Fee |
| already hefty cost you will be paying. Whether you're | | | | Airplanes travel remains the preferred means of |
| traveling, banking, or renting a car, you're going to be | | | | vacation travel. Knowing this, it appears airlines have |
| subject to a host of additional fees, some hidden and | | | | designed airplanes to cram passengers into. Like |
| some blatantly obvious. During this current economic | | | | sardines, passengers are crammed into undersized |
| downturn, this is one of the ways companies have | | | | seats in order to maximize the carriers profits. Smart |
| to collect more money from you on top of the price | | | | and often over sized travelers generally opted for |
| for the actual service. | | | | emergency row seats for some precious extra |
| Here are 6 hidden fees you may encounter as you | | | | legroom, while others choose to sit near (or far) |
| plan your summer vacation, some of which you can't | | | | from the bathroom. In the past the ability to choose |
| avoid: | | | | a window or aisle seat has traditionally been a |
| Airlines Baggage Fees | | | | standard courtesy while purchasing a ticket. Today |
| Passengers traveling with cumbersome items such as | | | | many airline carriers are now charging for this |
| bikes, golf clubs, and skis are used to paying extra | | | | non-service. The worst offenders of the airline |
| fees to haul them. Some airlines have now began | | | | preferred seating selection fee are United Airlines |
| charging passengers for checked luggage. Almost | | | | ($14 to $109 for domestic flights, and $89 to $109 |
| every major U.S. airline carrier charges between $15 | | | | for international flights) and Virgin America ($15 to |
| and $25 for the first checked bag, and $25 to $35 | | | | $50). Others carriers, like American and Delta, still let |
| for a second piece. Fortunately JetBlue allows one | | | | you choose your seat for free, both domestically and |
| piece for free -- but charges $30 for a second item. | | | | internationally. At the rate the airlines are seeking, |
| Southwest allow two pieces for free. The Airline | | | | finding and adding on fees for non-services, in flight |
| baggage fee trend has yet to go global. Most | | | | pay toilets are probably inevitable. Don't laugh, it has |
| international carriers allow you to check one piece of | | | | already been proposed by Ireland's Ryanair. |
| luggage free, while Lufthansa and Frontier allow two | | | | Currency Conversion Fees |
| pieces. | | | | While enjoying your overseas summer travels, pay |
| ATM Fees | | | | close attention to your credit card bill when you get |
| For many Americans, Automatic Teller Machine(ATM) | | | | home. You will discover you paid more than you |
| usage has become as common as cell phone usage. | | | | bargained for thanks to a "foreign currency |
| It is a necessary evil which we all partake in. As | | | | conversion" fees which add on as much as 3% |
| technology make ATM transactions increasingly | | | | additional cost. One percent of that currency |
| cheaper, the cost of using another bank's ATM | | | | conversion fee is charged by your credit card |
| continues to rise. reported that 99.2% of all ATMs | | | | company, which is less than the commission you'd |
| levy some type of a surcharge, which averages | | | | typically pay at a foreign exchange booth. reports |
| $1.97. This is a 10% increase, up from a year ago. | | | | many credit card issuers and banks are overcharging |
| Many of you will discover this summer that your own | | | | their customers by attaching an additional 2% fee on |
| bank is giving you the shaft too. Thanks to its fee | | | | top of that fee without providing any additional |
| for using another company's ATM. Their fees | | | | service-- which they rarely bother to disclose. The |
| average around $1.46, up from $1.25 a year ago. So | | | | credit card issuers and banks known to be raking in |
| if you have to use an ATM while you are on | | | | this pure profit at the expense of their customers |
| vacation, expect to pay an average of $3.43 for not | | | | include Bank of America, Citibank and Chase. |
| having enough cash on hand. If there is a WalMart | | | | Hidden Traffic Ticket Fees |
| nearby, buy something cheap and opt for some cash | | | | If your vacation travel plans include a road trip, do |
| back instead. | | | | not get a traffic ticket in California. California has |
| Airline Fuel Surcharges | | | | instituted hidden ticket fees to assist them in plugging |
| If your travel plans include international air travel, you | | | | budgetary holes. According to Southern California's |
| will surely be affected by the constant rising fuel | | | | Triple A, the base fee for a carpool-lane violation is |
| costs. Airlines are demanding increasingly exorbitant | | | | $100, but nine additional fees, such as a "state court |
| "airline fuel surcharges" to maintain their corporate | | | | construction fund fee" can inflate that violation total |
| profit margins. Airline fuel surcharges were first | | | | to roughly $440. Other California cities even charge |
| introduced approximately two years ago for | | | | "crash fees" for fire and police services rendered at |
| international flights. Today they are responsible for an | | | | the scene of an auto accident, even though general |
| increase, on average, of $100 per ticket to most | | | | taxes already pay for such services and most |
| European destinations according to Travel to many | | | | Californian's do not use the court system to handle |
| German cities doubled from $160 in July 2009 to $320 | | | | traffic tickets. |
| in July 2010. Dublin, which enjoyed bargain-basement | | | | |