US: Plan to force airlines to expose fees spurs debate

The DoT thinks airline travellers should know all the bag and seat-assignment fees they face before paying for a ticket. But after proposing in May 2014 to require airlines to provide that information, the administration continues to grapple with hundreds of comments on all sides of the issue. The department's plan aims to alert travellers to the precise fees regardless of where they purchase their tickets. Half of all tickets are bought somewhere other than from airlines directly. Shopping at comparison web sites can be complicated, and some airlines change fees based on frequent-flier status or even the credit card used to buy a ticket. But the proposal stopped short of requiring airlines to charge the fee at the moment the ticket is bought, something that consumer advocates had urged as a policy called "transactability." Some travellers have complained about fees that surprise them upon arrival at the airport. If the rule is adopted, airlines would have to disclose fees for first and second checked bags, carry-on bags and for advanced seat assignments that often provide extra legroom before the traveller pays for the ticket.<br/>