uExpedia Launches “Upgrade Options” Tool To Show Airlines’ Hidden Feesr

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• While most consumers know that airlines tack on fees for checked baggage, more leg room, and reservation changes, among other things, it can be difficult to gauge how much those “extras” will add up to when booking your trip on a third-party site. In an effort to be more upfront with customers, Expedia says it will now disclose airline fees right on its website. 

  Expedia launched a new set of tools on Tuesday that lists airline ancillary fees before a passenger actually purchases their ticket, Fortune reports.

  The tool, dubbed “Upgrade Options,” is intended to help would-be passengers customize and understand the full cost of their trips.

  
  
  At first, the new service will be a partnership between the booking site, Delta Air Lines and AirBerlin in Europe, the company says.

  Greg Schulze, Expeida’s senior vice president of global tour and transport, says the company hopes to include other airlines in the company months.

  “There is a huge amount of data we are collecting, along with information we have to help travelers to make informed decisions,” he tells Fortune. “We are starting to be more confident in ourselves in helping travelers compare options.”

  While Upgrade Options features a plethora of airline ancillary fees, Expedia has singled out checked baggage costs in a separate tool to be released later this year.

  The “Baggage Calculator” provides flyers with a list of fees and policies for different airlines.

  Expedia hopes the added transparency to the flight booking process helps set it apart from competitors in the third-party booking industry.

  Expedia to reveal airlines’ “hidden fees” in new feature [Fortune]

  
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by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist