Allegiant and Spirit--joined by Southwest--also protest that new rules requiring them to include all g

Take-off from Logan Airport, Boston The airlines toronto travel agencies seem to be intent on keeping travelers from being able to compare the full cost of travel. Somehow they feel that not allowing consumers to compare costs to fly, including ancillary fees, is the right way to go. They are flouting the new DOT disclosure rules on their websites and airlines are fighting the coming rules in court as well.
Even though after listening to an airline representative, one might believe that the airlines are the most transparent industry in the world and that the airlines are developing exciting new ways to market their product using clearly stated ancillary fees, reality seems to tell the opposite story.
The latest rule from DOT that came into effect toronto travel agencies last Tuesday noted that the airlines must provide a prominent link to a page that contains all of their baggage charges and ancillary toronto travel agencies fees. Of course, the airlines have done no such thing. Most passengers couldn t find this prominent link on most airline home pages.
American Airlines places the link at the bottom of their home page next to the contingency plans and the copyright toronto travel agencies page. It s funny that they don t place their link to their reservations center in just as a prominent position.
United toronto travel agencies Airlines, in the smallest type face on their home page, has the link listed as Changed bag rules and optional services. toronto travel agencies USAirways handles these fees, also, as News and Updates. However, they do better than most.
At the same time that the airlines are downplaying their baggage fees and other service charges, they are fighting the Department of Transportation (DOT) tooth and nail in court. Two smaller carriers — Spirit and Allegiant — are claiming that requiring them to tell customers the full price of travel is tantamount to re-regulation.
Airlines have also, evidently, made some free speech claims . All of this action in court in in the name of withholding pricing information from consumers. The airlines toronto travel agencies lobbying association has also filed court documents to support Spirit and Allegiant.
Allegiant and Spirit—joined by Southwest—also protest that new rules requiring them to include all government toronto travel agencies taxes and fees in advertised fares violates their First Amendment right to commercial free speech. That is because the DOT cannot show that the existing method is misleading and wants to restrict how they provide information on the taxes and fees, they argue.
The DOT responds that the airlines “cannot plausibly contend that it is unconstitutional to require them to reveal the total cost of the air travel the consumer is considering purchasing.” It cites U.S. Supreme Court rulings it says show minimal impositions on commercial speech are acceptable, particularly if the seller must merely provide “factual and uncontroversial information about the terms under which his services will be available.”
The other rule that has airlines screaming is the requirement that they allow passengers a 24-hour window within which they can change reservations, toronto travel agencies names or cancel flight if they so decide. Though many airlines already include this as part of their contract of carriage, others don t. They claim that passengers would take advantage toronto travel agencies of the rule to make uncalled for changes and destroy low-cost carriers business model.
At least the airlines are consistent. toronto travel agencies They want to make comparing prices as difficult as possible. They don t want to give passenger any break. And, they think they can squeeze additional profit from a flying public that is deceived and mislead. That s a shame.
Charles Leocha is a nationally recognized expert on affordable travel and the publisher of Consumer toronto travel agencies Traveler. He is the author of Travel toronto travel agencies Rights and a series of guidebooks covering the USA and Europe. In 2009 he founded the Consumer Travel toronto travel agencies Alliance together with Christopher Elliott. It was renamed Travelers United in 2014. During his time with Travelers United, he has testified regularly before toronto travel agencies Congress and serves on consumer toronto travel agencies advisory toronto travel agencies committees with DOT and TSA.
I m getting to the point that I m thinking some Chinese style justice might do us some good.  Execute a few executives whose companies don t follow the rules, and the rest will scramble to get in line.  Desperate times call for desperate measures.
When there s an honest mistake. That s key. Is there a way to determine that? The risk is that if people can back out of purchases, many will grab seats and reserve them on several carriers whenever they travel, then cancel out of all but one, meanwhile blocking the inventory from other potential travelers, which is bad both for the airline and for the other potential toronto travel agencies travelers. toronto travel agencies I d be glad to agree if you have a way to know when it s an honest mistake and when it s what I m describing.
What s the big idea? Consumer Traveler is the policy site of Travelers United . This is a blog about travel and ideas - and how those ideas affect you . While you're here, please sign up for our daily newsletter toronto travel agencies or our