The Guardian - Matthew Cantor
City acts after egregious price-gouging emerged – such as $27.85 for a glass of Sam Adams beer at LaGuardia
We all expect to pay a bit extra for a beer or a sandwich at the airport. But when a glass of Samuel Adams Summer Ale costs nearly $30, things really have gotten out of control.
That’s why New York officials have announced a crackdown on food and drink prices at the region’s airports, where vendors can’t charge more than “street prices” – what you’d pay locally outside the airport – plus 10%.
The 10% figure itself isn’t new, but officials have clarified the rules and stepped up monitoring after some egregious violations emerged – all thanks to a single tweet by a young Brooklynite.
Other airports have similar pricing measures in place. For real value, Lund salutes Portland international airport in Oregon, which requires vendors to charge no more than they do outside the airport. Baltimore/Washington international airport also claims to use street prices at its restaurants, while Philadelphia international airport says its prices are “comparable” to those of outside establishments.
