Forget stale sandwiches: meet the $38 airport beer

Regulars will recall my weekend outrage over paying $23 for a semi-stale sandwich, crisps and a soft drink at Melbourne Airport. 

The response from readers underlined that being ripped off at airports is endemic in Australia, and in many places around the world. 

But the three airports serving New York City might take the cake when it comes to bare-faced theft. 

Foodie and regular correspondent Robert Carmack pointed out a recent story in the Washington Post about the absurd prices of drinks at three New York City-area airports. 

It reported that an investigation by transportation authorities that oversee New York airports confirmed that customers had paid as much as $27 (that's over $38 Aus!) for a beer at LaGuardia Airport over the past year. 

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said it was tightening the “street pricing” policy that keeps concessions prices comparable to prices outside airports. 

The revised policy also caps surcharges at 10%. The authority regulates LaGuardia (above), John F. Kennedy International Airport and Newark Liberty International Airport.

After investigating a complaint posted on social media last July, the Office of Inspector General for the airport authority reported that concessions operator OTG violated its policy. 

The OIG found 25 patrons were charged ​​” totally indefensible amounts” of $23 or $27, depending on the size of the beer, in Terminal C at LaGuardia.

One has to question their sanity for paying that much - but there you go. 

The beer that prompted the audit was a 23-ounce Sam Adams Summer Ale that cost $27.85. 

The review found some beer prices included “an erroneously added surcharge on top of an inflated base price”. 

OTG also operates airport concessions in cities including Washington DC, Chicago, Philadelphia and Houston. It might be a business worth avoiding. 

Prepare to be ripped off at Melbourne Airport

Nowhere does rip-offs quite as well as Melbourne Airport. 

Take the area between the Jetstar check-in area and baggage collection at Terminal 4 (arguably one of the worst-designed terminals anywhere in the world).  

Thry have a captive audience here; people waiting for luggage and others waiting for time to elapse so they can check in.

The eatery in this area of the terminal is basically a convenience store with a few tables and chairs  It is a basic serve-yourself affair. 

Even given airport rents, however, it is hard to justify $9.90 for a semi-stale and almost totally tasteless curried egg sandwich.

Or $5.90 for a bottle of Gatorade you can buy at your local Woolies for $2.50 - and is coolish rather than cold. 

Or another $5.90 for a pack of  Red Rock Deli chips.

That is a tad under $23 for a very average snack.

You have to wonder who, if anyone, monitors prices at  Melbourne Airport. I’m sure they don’t care just as long as rents are paid. 

Go! Convenience boasts that it is “conveniently self-service”.

Here’s some free advice for anyone passing through. 

Either curb your appetite or bring your own food and drink. 

Australian travellers slam industry rip offs

Consumer group CHOICE has asked Australian governments to fix Australia’s travel “cancellation chaos” with seven urgent reforms, starting by making it easier for travellers to obtain refunds when plans are cancelled.

 

CHOICE surveyed over 4,400 Australians who had travel plans disrupted by Covid-19 and is sharing their experiences in the report Consumer protection for Australian travellers: a plan for clarity, consistency and fairness. 

 

“Many Australians who had booked travel have faced inconsistent and unfair treatment since CovidD-19 emerged in early 2020,” says CHOICE Consumer Rights Expert and report author Alison Elliott.

 

“While some people reported receiving incredible help and assistance from travel businesses, others waited more than six months for a refund or encountered appalling customer service. Australians were forced to navigate cancellation chaos rather than receiving clear and practical advice on their rights. 

 

“Many people are now grappling with impractical limitations on travel vouchers and unfair solutions to a problem they didn’t cause. Just like the EU and UK, we should have clear rights to refunds when travel plans are cancelled.”  

 

The CHOICE travel cancellations survey found 53% of respondents waited over three months for a resolution, with nearly a quarter waiting over six months. 

 

“Waiting over 6 months to get a refund is far too long, even in pandemic conditions," says Elliott. "Looking at the experiences of over 4,400 Australians, we saw major problems that governments have the ability to fix. We need stronger and clearer consumer protections to help Australians have the confidence to book travel in the future.”

 

Australians also shared their stories of major travel brands hiding behind complicated terms and conditions, passing the buck and befuddling customers out of asserting their rights. Flight Centre, AirBnB and Qantas featured heavily in the survey feedback.

 

“It is not OK that the big players in this industry don’t have better systems and higher standards of service," says Elliott. "The recent lockdowns in a number of states are a reminder that this problem is not going away.”

CHOICE is calling for the Federal and state governments to implement easier travel refunds; minimum voucher/credit rights; a mandatory industry code for all airlines and large travel providers; a travel and tourism industry ombudsman; a mandatory information standard at time of booking; an ACCC market study into the travel and tourism sector and a national travel restrictions website.

 

More detail available in the full report available here: https://sites.google.com/choice.com.au/travelreport2021 

Gatwick leads the way as travel industry rip-offs kick in

Penny pinching is a way of life in the hospitality industry. Resort charges, credit card surcharges, late check-out fees; premium seats. Some hotels still charge outrageous sums for wifi. 

And as Covid-19 continues to bit into income streams look out for more nickle-and-diming of customers across the travel spectrum. 

London's Gatwick Airport is the latest operator to sting passengers - but travellers can expect more across the globe. 

Gatwick Airport has confirmed it will introduce a £5 minimum fee ($9) to drop passengers outside its North Terminal from March 8 "as it explores new revenue streams'. 

The charge will be £5 for up to 10 minutes, and £1 for each additional minute up to 20 minutes. The maximum charge will be £25 - an absolute outrage. The maximum length of stay 30 minutes.

The airport will extend the charge to the South Terminal "at a later date". No surprise there. Only the North Terminal is currently operational, Travel Mole reported.


Gatwick said the initiative will help reduce traffic congestion and emissions and create a "vital new revenue stream".


Anyone not wishing to pay the charge will be able to drop off and pick up passengers in the airport's long-stay car parks, which have two hours free parking and a free shuttle bus to the terminal. 


Chief Commercial Officer Jonathan Pollard said: "It is no secret that the airport is going through the most difficult period in its history and we have little choice but to explore new revenue streams that will us help us recover from the Covid-19 crisis and continue as an important provider of economic prosperity and jobs across the region.


"This scheme will also encourage passengers to consider more sustainable transport options."

Disabled drivers will be able to access the forecourt free of charge by registering their details up to three months in advance before arriving at the airport. 

The rest of us can be prepared to be ripped off - right across the globe.