After a long day of negotiations between Senate aides and committee staffers over wording regarding when passengers will get to know what taxes and fees will be added to their airfares, there was no final agreement. That means the Menendez amendment to the FAA Reauthorization bill will come up for a vote sometime today, and the fate of how we purchase airline tickets and view airfares will hang in balance.
As with everything in Washington DC, there is time to push hard and a time to wait. The Consumer Travel Alliance is in the push-hard part of an effort to force the airlines to tell travelers all of their fees upfront in the ticketing process.
The Menendez amendment to the FAA Reauthorization Act, being debated today, will mandate that airlines and travel agents disclose the full price of a ticket, including taxes and fees, right up front.
The Consumer Travel Alliance strongly supports the Menendez amendment to the FAA Reauthorization Act. As noted below, this amendment will compel the airlines to be upfront about their various fees. The airlines should present all fees prior to the point where customers have already completed a portion of the purchase process.
The Menendez Clear Airfares Act has been submitted to Congress. It is the latest attempt to bring some sanity to airfare pricing and how those airfares are presented to consumers. It is a good start and I’m sure will be improved in committee.
Ever wished there was a law that forces airlines to disclose all extras on their tickets? Right up front. While you’re shopping for flights.
