- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
Comments (2)
Print
Save/Share
Soon, you won't have to ask that question, because airfare ads will have to include all mandatory taxes and fees.
When does a $59 flight cost a lot more than $59? Pretty much always. By now, most travelers understand the annoying particulars of the typical airfare sale, in which prominently listed flight prices are followed by tiny asterisks. In the fine print below, it's inevitably revealed that all sorts of additional (and mandatory) taxes, fees, and surcharges aren't included in the featured prices.
Figuring out exactly how the traveler actually has to pay out of pocket for such the flight requires a visit to a booking engine or the airline's website. In some cases, it turns out that the true cost of the flight is 10 percent, or even 20 percent more than what was advertised.
All of this rigmarole should soon disappear, though. Starting on Jan. 26, 2012, the Department of Transportation states that all "carriers will be required, among other things, to include all government taxes and fees in every advertised fare."
As a result, the prices travelers see in ads are the full prices, in their entirety, that travelers can expect to pay (provided availability). Hopefully, this will mean that fewer travelers feel like they've been subjected to a bait-and-switch, in which the fare that first attracted them to book is replaced by a flight that isn't quite as good a deal.
In the months before the new rules take place, the DOT has gotten more aggressive in dealing with airlines that fail to properly information regarding fees and taxes. In early January, the DOT fined AirTran $60,000 because the airline's website listed routes and prices in one place, but failed to provide details regarding taxes and fees in the same spot. (To get that info, a customer had to scroll way down to the bottom of the page.)
Likewise, in November, Spirit Airlines was fined $50,000 by the DOT for the way it advertised $9 fares on billboards and posters and made consumers jump through multiple hoops before revealing mandatory taxes and fees, along with the requirement that to qualify for such a fare, a round–trip purchase was necessary.
Mind you, it's only the non–optional taxes and fees that must be included in advertised fares. A wide range of optional fees, including those for baggage, seat selection, in–flight entertainment and refreshments, won't be included in the fares you see. For some travelers, these fees will come as a most unpleasant surprise.
MORE FROM BUDGET TRAVEL:
How the Most Hated Airline Fee Became a Huge Success
Airlines Add "Carbon Fee" for Passengers Between U.S. and Europe
Introducing the $450 Checked Baggage Fee
User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.
It is about time the US DOT caught up with EU rules here in Europe.
Posted By Ryan James on January 20, 2012, 2:31 AM
I'm not against advising passengers what the government taxes are costing them right up front, I do that every day, as an airline reservations agent, but it seems like only airlines are being accused of "bait and switch" for not puting the taxes and fees in their ads. Do the big box stores tell you that the HDTV you are buying will be subject to up to 10% local sales tax? Do automakers include the total of the tax, title and license fees in their ads? Of course not. How much have the cost of cars gone up in the past 20 years, compared to the cost of airline travel. there is no comparison.
Posted By Carrie Air on January 22, 2012, 12:50 PM