FuelRod Rethinks $3 Re-charging Fee In the Wake of Lawsuit
Earlier this week we reported that FuelRod, the company responsible for all the rabid smartphone recharge machines you’ll find at the theme parks and resorts is facing a lawsuit after the company made the decision to start charging users $3 per recharge – a service that was previously included in the initial $30 start-up fee.
In the face of the lawsuit it looks like FuelRod is walking back plans to implement the $3 portable recharging fee at the Disneyland and Walt Disney World resorts until further notice.
Earlier this month FuelRod announced plans to start charging for the swaps by posting a sign on all of the machines alerting users to the upcharge. This was a decision massively un-popular with guests who argued that at the time that they purchased the $30 start-up kit they did so having agreed to a service that provided unlimited swaps.
The class-action lawsuit was filed on October 25th by a Los Angeles law firm seeking $5 million in damages from Tricopian Inc. and SaveMe Batteries North America (the parent companies of FuelRod.) The suit was filed by Francis J. Flynn Jr. in U.S. District Court on behalf of Gabriel Veasey of Sarasota, Florida. Veasey bought a $30 FuelRod portable charger at Walt Disney World under the understanding that it included “free unlimited swaps” at a kiosk machine. When the company announced the upcharge, lawyers representing Veasey argued that this is in violation their client’s contract with FuelRod.
According to a recent report in the Orange County Register, the lawsuit claimed that consumers could purchase other portable chargers for less than $10 that were less expensive and lasted longer and charged faster than the $30 chargers.
The lawsuit suggests that there were potentially thousands of class-action plaintiffs which may be a large factor in FuelRod deciding to walk back the upcharge fee. “With the chargers themselves undersized and underpowered as compared to their price tag, why would someone pay $30 for this device?” the lawsuit said. “The answer is that they are not simply paying for the device, they are paying for the service that accompanies it.”
FuelRod kiosks can currently be found at airports, zoos, hotels and theme parks around the world. This includes Busch Gardens, Indiana’s Holiday World, Sea World, Universal Studios and Disney.
Readers are encouraged to keep following along with MickeyBlog for more updates regarding this story!
Thinking about a visit to Disney? Planning is easy! Simply fill out our form below to get your FREE, no-obligation quote from MickeyTravels and we’ll take care of the rest!
Find articles like this helpful? Then why not consider working with an Authorized Disney Vacation Planner? As an agent with MickeyTravels, I’ll be on hand to assist you with everything from finding your perfect package to helping you plan lots of special touches to make your visit truly magical. Best of all my services are absolutely FREE. Get in touch at 1.800.801.4025 via email at mroden@mickeytravels.com or follow along on Facebook