So the drive to milk the final drop of cash out of the customer has driven a lot of people to unbundle.
While the experience is not pleasant for the majority of people - if we believe the surveys that asked the loaded questions - it does seem to drive more suppliers to set up solutions that allow them to capitalize on the revenue opportunities.
Latest up is Thomas Cook (UK). Check out its new ancillaries service on a standalone site.
Something, however, sounded strangely familiar. I remember that as a kid I could go into the local Thomas Cook office in Cambridge, UK, and buy a whole raft of travel ancillaries.
So I did a quick search and, using the ubiquitous Wikipedia, here is a lovely tidbit, lest you think that this is all something new for the Anglo-German conglomerate:
"With John A Mason Cook [Thomas Cook’s son], he [Cook] formed a partnership and renamed the travel agency as Thomas Cook and Son.
"They acquired business premises on Fleet Street, London. By this time, Cook had stopped personal tours and became an agent for foreign or domestic travel.
"The office also contained a shop which sold essential travel accessories including guide books, luggage, telescopes and footwear."
So the pioneer in organized travel was actually also the innovator in ancillaries!