When Rupal Madhup booked her latest flight, she expected the usual, a little travel stress, a long check-in line, maybe a delayed coffee. What she didn’t expect? To be charged for being “CUTE.”
At first, she thought it was a joke. “CUTE charge?” she laughed, imagining it was some weird compliment baked into her boarding pass. Was the airline charging her for being airport chic? A new TikTok trend?
Turns out, the truth was far less flattering and way more frustrating.
The “CUTE” fee, she discovered after digging into her ticket breakdown, stands for Common User Terminal Equipment. Translation? It’s a charge passengers unknowingly pay for using the shared tech infrastructure at airports, check-in kiosks, boarding gates, security scanners, baggage belts, and so on. In short, it’s the behind-the-scenes machinery that keeps passenger movement flowing and passengers in line.
“So I’m literally paying extra… to stand in line??” she posted, her tone a mix of disbelief and deadpan humor. “Like bestie, I’m out here paying cute charges when nothing about this travel stress is cute 😩.”
Rupal, who’s flown hundreds of times, only discovered this tiny-but-mighty fee on a random weekday while scrolling through her e-ticket. “I’ve taken so many flights and no one, NO ONE told me about this!” she exclaimed, sparking a relatable moment for thousands online who had never heard of it either.
Her mini rant, filled with sass and eye-roll energy, quickly turned into an informative PSA for fellow travelers. She ended with a memorable punchline:
“Capitalism will find the most adorable acronym to rob you blind.”
So, the next time you book a flight and your ticket price seems oddly high, take a minute. Scroll through that fare breakdown. Hidden among the taxes, fuel surcharges, and convenience fees, you just might find “CUTE” peeking out with a smile, charging you for the privilege of walking through the airport.
CUTE Charge: Moral of the story?
There’s nothing cute about unexpected fees. But with a sharp eye (and a sharper sense of humor), even the dullest surcharge can become viral-worthy.
Also Read: Subhash Chandra: The Media Mogul Who Revolutionized Indian Television
