If new regulations don’t get derailed by a “furious” airline industry, those always irritating fees and taxes will be far more visible starting Jan. 24. Tickets will require a listing of all charges.
“This is a win for consumers who for the past 25 years have had to factor these costs with their airfare separately, particularly when they were glued to their smartphones scouring Facebook and Twitter for deals,” writes Business insider.
“Requiring all mandatory charges to be included in a single advertised price will help consumers compare airfares and make it easier for them to determine the full cost of their trip,” Bill Mosley, a Transportation Department spokesman, told the New York Times.
For the last 25 years, the US Transportation Department has allowed airlines and travel agencies to list government-imposed fees separately, resulting in a paragraph of fine print disclaimers about charges that can add 20 percent or more to a ticket’s price.
Not so fast, however.
Some reports describe airline opposition as “furious.” And that should come as no surprise.
Some airlines have virtually built their business by charging super-low fees than adding usage fees for bags and advance seat assignments and many other options, often not seen on the ticket itself.
Southwest, Spirit Airlines and Allegiant have asked the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to block the proposed change, citing a violation of their commercial free speech rights.
“But for all of Spirit's objections, one thing remains clear: Consumers are sick of paying out the nose for undisclosed fees and the US government isn't pleased about it,” says Business Insider.
Earlier this year Spirit was hit with a hefty $50,000 for advertising violations after posting a $9 fare on Twitter, which then required users to click to two websites to figure out the additional taxes and charges.
By David Wilkening
