Travelers chafe at sky-high cost of eating at airports

— -- Frequent traveler Sammy Tawil walked up to a sandwich shop at New York's John F. Kennedy airport shortly before boarding a recent flight, though he says he wasn't really hungry.

But knowing he wouldn't eat for hours, Tawil reluctantly bought a tuna sandwich, pita chips and iced tea. Total: $17.31, with tax.

Even as he ate, the tile industry executive from New Jersey fumed. He was frustrated by what he considers price-gouging by airport retailers. "There are times when I pay these prices at airports, and I'm saying to myself, 'Whew, is this a joke?' " he says. "It's often the only time you have to settle down and have a bite to eat."

Tawil's irritation is shared by many travelers, who see themselves as captive to whatever prices retailers charge at a time they're spending more hours in airports and despite efforts by many facilities to prevent gouging.

Many airports — including some of the nation's largest, such as Chicago O'Hare and Washington Dulles International — have adopted so-called street pricing policies. They require airport shops and restaurants to charge prices comparable with similar stores in town.

But many airports haven't. Some, such as Los Angeles International, don't have a policy. Many others, such as Atlanta's Hartsfield, allow retailers to charge a set premium over street prices. And some retailers circumvent restrictions by using upscale stores outside the airport as their benchmark for prices.

That leaves many travelers with the impression that they're going to pay more if they grab something to eat, drink or give as a gift at airports regardless of where they are.

"I have yet to find any airport that sells items at street prices," complains Trevor Bushell, a business development executive at Ontario, Calif., who is constantly on the road. "Candy bars are at least 50 cents more. Drinks and food are overpriced by several dollars. I don't buy anything at an airport if I can help it."

Airport executives say prices are much lower than they were a decade ago, and retailers charge more because it's more expensive to run a business at airports. Improved selections and better quality — gourmet food shops and high-end retailers are all the rage at airports — also inevitably result in higher prices, they say.

"You're looking for convenience and quality, so there's corresponding pricing that goes with (those)," says Janice Holden of JFK IAT, which operates JFK's Terminal 4.