These companies start off by wanting their consumers to use their new automated booking systems (i.e. internet) so that they can save money by not employing staff to man the phones or booking outlets.
So you stop using cash and cheques and get yourself a credit card so that you can use these services.
Now a few years later those same companies forget about the money that they saved in the first place and now want to put a handling fee on any credit card use.
It's a bloody sham.