Delta Fares

Any idea why some airlines charge fees when you make your reservations on the phone?

United Airlines just charged me $15 for a domestic flight because I made my reservation on the phone. I am travelling with a pet and they reccomend that the reservations should be made on the phone, as opposed to on the internet. Any idea why the additional $15? This is a domestic travel

Public Comments

1. They want to encourage as many people as possible to use the internet; that way they save money on agent salaries. For me, if I have a complicated itinerary or need more information than I can glean from the website, it's worth it to speak with a human.
2. Cause you are costing them "man-labor." Most airlines now make most of their sales/reservations online, which costs them nothing! It's kind of like how banks charge a fee now when you call to ask a question. Used to be free!
3. The airline business is a very business. Why would they charge you extra because you made the reservation on the phone, recently my husband was shopping for a ticket to travel to Trinidad, it was almost a thousand dollars on the phone ,later on he got the same ticket for $ 685.oo through a private agent. I still cannot fathom why the extra charge seeing that it was adomestic flight. Sorry I cannot explain the $15 fee. Better luck next time.
4. Well...they are in the business to make money...and they can do it as they choose. I have actually gotten lower fares by speaking to a person on the phone than by internet on occasion. Why does Home Depot charge $2.00 more for a bottle of carpet shampoo than the grocery store does for the very same product? Because they CAN.
5. I think its all to do with bank charges and credit card charges and so forth which is really annoying for the consumer. Personally I would rather go through a travel agent than make arrangements over the phone or on the Internet with a travel agent at least your covered like say the destination you are going to has a hurricane headed your way at least you know the travel agents will get you out of there on the first available flight works in theory lets see it in practice lol