Northwest Adds Fees to Tickets Bought Offline

Northwest Airlines Corp. will charge fees to customers who don’t book flights via its website and will shift some ticket-distribution costs to travel agents to save $70 million a year.

Starting Friday, a $5 fee will be charged for each domestic ticket bought over the phone, the St. Paul, Minn.-based airline said. Customers who buy at airport counters will pay a $10 fee.

On Sept. 1, Northwest will begin charging agents for part of the ticket-distribution costs.

“This is a fundamental change in the way airline tickets are being distributed,” said Henry Harteveldt, a travel industry analyst with Forrester Research Inc. in San Francisco.

Northwest joins Southwest Airlines Co. among U.S. carriers trying to reduce ticket-selling costs by directing bookings to their websites.