Here’s a question I’ve been getting a lot since the beginning of the year: Are the current round of airfare hikes justified?
INCREASE
Jim Stewart’s trip was a disaster before he even left for the airport. When he tried to reserve a package vacation through Expedia, the price mysteriously went up. He made another reservation, tried to cancel it, rebooked another one and — you guessed it — ended up with two reservations for the same trip.
Look out for cancellation penalties. Beware of energy surcharges. And watch for facilities fees. No, not on your airline ticket. Not on your hotel folio. You may find these new extras on your next car rental bill.
Time for a little reality check. Everyone is screaming about the unprecedented rise in airfares. Well, everyone is wrong.
Elliott is consumer advocate 
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