It would be nice if they had done away with the begging, but no such luck. Teams can still beg, but not in U.S. airports and not where a country prohibits it. Many teams beg on airplanes and in foreign airports (almost all the ones used in each Amazing Race) in order to build up a strategic financial reserve that can be used for encouraging taxi drivers to go above the speed limit, for hiring taxis to follow when self-driving, for extra snacks or whatever. The fact that there is no requirement to do so after finishing last in an NEL makes the need for begging a little less but does not by any means eliminate it.