New airline fees?

According to an article I have just read, it appears that there is to be a new wave of fees on the horizon…as airlines apply a motto of “let no fee go unnoticed.“

One such example is a new fee that Continental Airlines is proposing to introduce called FareLock, an option which allows you to hold a reservation and “lock-in” the ticket price for up to 72 hours or even as long as seven days.

Sounds great, especially as there is no commitment to purchase the ticket…but as you can guess there is a charge for doing so, beginning at US$5 for a 72-hour hold and $9 for a seven-day hold. This fee will vary according to routes and other factors, and they are applicable for each traveller.

Continental says this new option is for those customers who need extra time to plan their travel before purchasing a ticket, as it gives customers additional flexibility to plan their travels and avoids the risk of price increases or sold-out flights, says the airline.