Thomson calls for ‘immediate’ OFT action on pricing
Thomson has called on the Office of Fair Trading to take immediate action against airline and travel companies displaying misleading headline prices (see previous TravelMole story).
The operator’s sales director Derek Jones, responding to the OFT’s move to crackdown on companies with hidden add-ons, said there was concern about a lack of a timetable for action to be taken.
“We want enforcement action to be taken immediately against all non-complying suppliers, including non-ABTA members and airlines,” he said.
“Thomson introduced an Honest Pricing campaign to try to steer the travel industry away from becoming part of ‘Rip-off Britain’, and to make it clear to our customers exactly what their holiday will cost from the outset.
“Yet even now, all of the other major tour operators are being allowed to bait customers with artificially low prices then sting them with a supplementary charge at the end of the booking.
“We want the OFT to take immediate enforcement action industry-wide to create a level playing field. Whilst we’re glad they’ve recognised the issue, we remain hugely concerned that there are no firm timelines for enforcement.”
Thomson has been lobbying the OFT since last autumn to take action against those who continue to levy fuel surcharges.
The operator removed fuel supplements in December last year and introduced an ‘Honest Pricing’ campaign in January, with all fixed non-optional costs included in the basic price.
by Phil Davies
Phil Davies
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