Terri Weissinger Trapped In Airport For Eight Grueling Days Due To Hidden Fees (VIDEO)

SAN FRANCISCO -- No matter how many 10-minute massage parlors and Wolfgang Puck vending machines they install to entertain weary travelers, getting stranded in an airport for even a few hours is rarely a pleasant experience.

For Terri Weissinger, who was trapped in San Francisco International Airport for over a week, it was nothing short of a nightmare.

(SCROLL DOWN FOR VIDEO)

With only $30 to her name, the Sonoma native was virtually broke and looking to start afresh in Idaho. She booked a ticket from San Francisco to the Gem State on the travel website Orbitz but, because she purchased her ticket before a new federal law went into effect requiring ticket brokers to disclose all hidden fees, Weissinger was unaware of the extra $60 U.S. Airways would charge at the airport to check her two bags.

Weissinger offered to pay the fee once she got to her destination or leave one of her bags behind; however, U.S. Airways personnel refused, citing airline policy for denying her former request and airport security regulations for denying the latter.

While attempting to resolve her situation, Weissinger missed her plane—thereby racking up another $150 in fees.

Weissinger ended up spending eight stressful days living in the terminal and sleeping in an out-of-the-way stairwell. She was treated for anxiety at the airport medical clinic. When she attempted to plead with airport authorities for help, she was threatened with arrest on vagrancy charges.

"[It's] ridiculous," said Weissinger to ABC 7. "I couldn't believe it sometimes, you know, it's just incredibly ridiculous situation to be in."

Out of options, Weissinger saw a listing for the nearby Airport Church of Christ in a phone book and placed a call. Moved by her situation, the church quickly raised the necessary $210 to get Weissinger out of her predicament and on her way.

When ABC 7 asked U.S. Airways about Weissinger's situation, the airline responded: "We have apologized to Ms. Weissinger for her experience, but unfortunately are unable to offer a refund. When you purchase a non-refundable ticket, you accept the terms and conditions. If a passenger cannot travel with their bags, they need to make other arrangements."

Airline fees have spiraled in recent years as sites like Orbitz and Travelocity have allowed customers to instantly compare ticket prices between competing airlines. The easy access to this information has pushed airlines to offer cheaper ticket prices up front, ensuring their results appear closer to the top of any given search. As a result, they are relying more heavily on additional fees popping up later in the ticketing process to make up a larger portion of their revenue.

Airlines have blamed increased fuel costs as the reason behind increasing both the number and severity of these additional fees. The Los Angeles Times reports:

The country's largest airlines collected $1.5 billion in fees from checked luggage and reservation change charges in April, May and June, according to the U.S. Bureau of Transportation Statistics. ... In the last few days, several airlines have released new earnings reports that show higher fuel costs have cut into what otherwise would have been healthy profits.

The luggage shipping service Luggage Forward has provided this helpful chart for how much each airline charges for checked luggage. U.S. Airways charges $25 for the first bag, $35 for the second and $125 for the third.

According to an investigation by USA Today, the highest single baggage fee ($450 per bag) is charged by American Airlines for checking an overweight checked bag on certain international flights.

Some other lesser known fees charged by various airlines include ones for blankets and pillows, carry-on luggage, making reservations by phone and traveling as an unaccompanied minor.

Comments

[out of touch]

12:02 AM on 11/18/2011

Portraying this as a news story is embarrassing. She was not trapped anywhere, only limited by her own incompetence.

Person makes a terrible decision to waste the last of her money on a trip to Idaho with $30 in her pocket. Great idea. Waste your last dollars on luxury travel. How much the bag fee is on your one way flight to Idaho is a first world problem.

I wonder why she has no money..could it be because she makes terrible decisions? Her flight, after all of her incompetence, would have cost 200% of what it would have cost a competent person. And yet, people think it is the airline's fault? The problem here is a lack of personal responsibility. She is in the process of making a terrible life decision, spending all her money on luxury travel, and then makes that terrible decision more expensive than she can afford by not understanding simple fee schedules.

What the hell was she going to do in Idaho? Why would you ever spend 90% of your remaining money to fly somewhere?

I did not realize how out of touch I am with other Americans until I read the comments to this "story."

I am glad someone helped her out, that is what charitable organizations are for. But I fundamentally do not understand why people think the corporation or the government should have helped her follow though on her dimwitted idea of trying to fly to Idaho.

[bh57]

11:29 AM on 11/17/2011

If she presented herself at the terminal on time for her original flight and the airline refused her boarding for whatever reason, the airline should be responsible for either refunding her ticket or providing convenient alternate transportation without penalty.
It seems absurd for the airline to say that she now also owes a chnge fee of $150. is absurd !?!?! =bh=

[TarzanaGirl]

04:13 PM on 11/13/2011

Her biggest mistake: booking a ticket with US Airways. I once made that same mistake myself. Never again!!! WORST airline ever!!!!!!!!!!

[RTIII]

08:48 PM on 11/09/2011

So long as we keep letting them get away with this, they will continue to do it.

More of us need to say, NO!

[Foodgrade]

11:36 PM on 11/07/2011

Pick an airline and boycott it out of business. Put the rest on notice.

[MIKEinNYC]

09:06 AM on 11/05/2011

It's like that Tom Hanks movie.

[Christine Negroni]

05:00 PM on 11/04/2011

This story doesn't smell right. http://christinenegroni.blogspot.com/2011/11/aviation-reporting-101-what-is-and-what.html

[inmyhumbleopinion]

11:52 AM on 11/06/2011

I have to completely disagree with you on this. The woman is clearly having financial difficulties which is the reason for her trip in the first place. If you are not a seasoned flier, which it sounds like she is not, and if your resources are scarce to begin with, how can you assume she knew about the baggage fees or, more distressingly, that you have so little compassion as to dismiss the possibility that her predicament was genuine ignorance?

When did we stop having empathy for people who are clearly having a difficult time? No, it is not the airline's problem, per se. But in my view, the airline could have empowered their employees to make an exception for this woman, thereby making this incident a positive PR move and engender all kinds of good will among potential customers. Instead, they got the black eye they probably deserve.

[Foodgrade]

11:37 PM on 11/07/2011

fanned. Common sense with a smile is back in style.

[jb48888]

03:50 PM on 11/04/2011

The baggage fee is considered a hidden cost that is a stupid rip-off. It slows down check in time significantly which is already very slow due to increased security. What if a trip requires 3 airline carriers, a round trip may get charged 6 times which adds ridiculous cost to the ticket. If airlines want offset the expensive fuel cost or make more profits, why not just raise the ticket price? This kid of fee should be banned by law.

[sillyfrog]

04:19 PM on 11/04/2011

Lets not have logic brought into this.

[Ayesha Khan]

06:27 AM on 11/04/2011

To Hell with the justifications of the air lines, and there explanation of the break down of the charges. They keep increasing their charges every now and then and their policies also, but that doesn't mean that if any ordinary person makes a mistake or remains unaware of their new plans they should be treated the way they treated a woman traveling alone She was traveling alone and without extra money it was a duty on the officials of that air line to assist her in the best possible manner. But they insulted her, hurt her, and injured her self respect. They denied her the human rights. They should be sued heavily by the Victim----

[SevenUPtheUNCOOLA]

01:57 PM on 11/04/2011

even the travelers aid service at SFO doesnt provide financial assistance. anyone traveling alone whether female or male should be given respect to their situation. if someone goes to the airport without a ticket maybe they are trying to scam folks. but she had a prepaid ticket, thought she was good to go and the airline or travelers aid should have found a way to get her on her first plane. with her bags.

[Cookie55]

06:11 AM on 11/04/2011

Airlines should not be allowed to charge for your luggage. It is absolutely ridiculous. I don't fly anymore. Too much greed for our economic times.

[SevenUPtheUNCOOLA]

01:59 PM on 11/04/2011

i stopped flying when the tsa assumed all flight passengers have criminal intent

[Foodgrade]

11:38 PM on 11/07/2011

And I don't like them looking up my wife and daughters skirts.

[Nonpc1]

06:07 AM on 11/04/2011

Thankfully the Christian Church came to her rescue and provided aid to her as only they can. God Bless America. In God We Trust.

[pauleky]

04:58 PM on 11/04/2011

Hmmm...I'm sure the hundreds of Christians behind the ticket counter and those that walked right past her feel the same way.

Seriously, God had nothing to do with this. If he/she/it did, why did he/she/it make her stay in the freakin' airport for eight days?!? Please stop it.

[Bob Kresse]

06:03 AM on 11/04/2011

funny how no one complained about the BAILOUT of the airlines after 9-11...and how the airlines stick it to the public in six hundred ways to sunday...this is disgusting

[sillyfrog]

04:21 PM on 11/04/2011

Well I and lots of people complained to no avail. Did you complain or just complain we didn't complain?

[mhsden]

05:45 AM on 11/04/2011

The air line fees are out of hand soon it will be cheaper to buy a small plane and make the payments the payments are less than a ticket if you commute by plane witch alot do : /

[Steven Haver]

05:21 AM on 11/04/2011

Given the widespread use of credit cards, something very similar could happen to anyone who was not able to pay such charges with currency:
A. The card issuer's authorization network could be temporarily inoperable.
B. Some problem with cardholder's account--whether or not based on accurate information--could prevent authorization of the charges.

There probably should be a law to the effect that--at least after seeing acceptable identification--the carrier may not refuse to carry passenger, and any reasonable amouant of baggage, due solely to non-payment of such charges. (Collection action, if necessary, permitted).

[barblyninga]

03:54 AM on 11/04/2011

If only the US could get a passenger rail system up and running as in Europe. Where are you Warren Buffet? Do that instead of talking Bank of America.