This is your Profile page. Use it to check replies to your comments, keep track of comments
you've made or endorsed, and manage your regulation room account.
Methods for pricing and advertising are inconsistent for both air carriers and third-party sellers, resulting in confusion for consumers that borders on fraud. Fees and surcharges paid to the airline can be misrepresented as government imposed taxes and surcharges. The following consumer protections should be imposed:
1. Final airfare cost should be fully disclosed in all advertising and sales.
2. Fuel and other surcharges paid to an airline should not be misrepresented to the consumer as government-imposed taxes and fees.
3. Baggage and all required additional travel costs should be fully disclosed and paid for by the consumer at the time of purchase (not a surprise at the ticket counter!).
The DOT proposal is very good but is not strict enough to provide adequate and necessary consumer protection.
All airfare costs should include the passenger’s right to check at least one standard piece of baggage. All fees should be fully disclosed at the time of airfare purchase, regardless of nature (i.e. optional or mandatory). Any changes in fees should be identified by air carriers at least 6 months prior to taking effect. Fees must be paid according to the carrier selling the airfare, not to the one providing the service, as in the case of a code-sharing agreement.
Without details regarding the methodology of this cost-benefit analysis, it is difficult to comment on the ‘reasonableness’ of what is proposed. Disclosure of fees to the consumer should not have a quantifiable cost.
Methods for pricing and advertising are inconsistent for both air carriers and third-party sellers, resulting in confusion for consumers that borders on fraud. Fees and surcharges paid to the airline can be misrepresented as government imposed taxes and surcharges. The following consumer protections should be imposed:
1. Final airfare cost should be fully disclosed in all advertising and sales.
2. Fuel and other surcharges paid to an airline should not be misrepresented to the consumer as government-imposed taxes and fees.
3. Baggage and all required additional travel costs should be fully disclosed and paid for by the consumer at the time of purchase (not a surprise at the ticket counter!).
The DOT proposal is very good but is not strict enough to provide adequate and necessary consumer protection.
All airfare costs should include the passenger’s right to check at least one standard piece of baggage. All fees should be fully disclosed at the time of airfare purchase, regardless of nature (i.e. optional or mandatory). Any changes in fees should be identified by air carriers at least 6 months prior to taking effect. Fees must be paid according to the carrier selling the airfare, not to the one providing the service, as in the case of a code-sharing agreement.
When in US airspace, DOT rules should apply to all carriers, regardless of the number of aircraft seats or nationality.
Without details regarding the methodology of this cost-benefit analysis, it is difficult to comment on the ‘reasonableness’ of what is proposed. Disclosure of fees to the consumer should not have a quantifiable cost.
Compensation must be in fiat currency. Frequent flier miles and certificates offered as compensation are valued at the discretion of the airlines.
Few if any airlines offer peanuts anymore. But peanuts are not the only allergen- what about pets? More people are allergic to pets than peanuts.
Airlines should disclose potential allergens on a flight (i.e. pets allowed, food served, etc.).