What Were They Thinking? 4 Stupid Fee Names

“September 11 Security Fee”

This $2.50 fee is collected by the airlines, but it actually goes toward funding the Transportation Security Administration’s extensive security operations. And while we understand 9/11 necessitated heightened security and that it makes sense for airline passengers to pitch in to cover the high cost, we don’t see why it was necessary to put “September 11” in the name – it’s almost as if 9/11 is being invoked here to keep people from complaining about the fee. Plus, is it really necessary to remind people of one of the the nation’s worst aviation disasters every time they buy a plane ticket?

“Convenience Fee”

We’re fine with paying a convenience fee when the company has to incur additional costs to provide us with an extra service. But often with a “convenience fee,” it seems the company is penalizing us for making its life easier. Numerous companies charge you for “convenience” that doesn’t actually cost them anything, and one recent example that comes to mind is Verizon, which introduced a $2 fee for wireless customers who pay individual bills online or over the phone. While we understand that it’s slightly more convenient for the company when a customer enrolls in autopay rather than paying each bill individually, it hardly makes sense that customers should have to pay extra for the privilege of reviewing each bill and paying it individually. It makes even less sense that customers could avoid the fee by mailing in a check, which surely takes more of the company’s time to process. Following an uproar by customers, Verizon canceled the fee just a day later.

Matt Brownell is a staff reporter for MainStreet. You can reach him by email at matthew.brownell@thestreet.com, or follow him on Twitter @Brownellorama.