Officials poised to sweep on websites breaking EU rules
Agents who sell air tickets online are being warned to make sure they abide by European Union legislation in light of planned ‘sweeps’ in the next two months.
ABTA is urging members to make sure they comply with a checklist developed by the European Commission.
It said the Commission is appointing a body to ensure that websites in each member state comply with the legislation and a first sweep is expected in March or April.
The checklist stipulations include the following:
– Websites prices must include all applicable, unavoidable and foreseeable taxes, charges, surcharges and fees.
– All optional price supplements of the flight offered must be on an ‘opt in basis’, without the need for the consumer to remove a tick from any box to opt-out.
– Limitations or conditions attached to the offer must be clearly displayed.
– The identity of the company and its contact details must be clearly indicated.
– Where certain charges cannot be calculated in advance (e.g. luggage fees), consumers must be clearly informed that such charges may be payable and of the manner in which they will
be calculated.
– The airports of departure and destination must be clearly indicated by including the full and official name of the airport and not by making reference only to the capital or the best
known city nearby.
By Bev Fearis
Bev
Editor in chief Bev Fearis has been a travel journalist for 25 years. She started her career at Travel Weekly, where she became deputy news editor, before joining Business Traveller as deputy editor and launching the magazine’s website. She has also written travel features, news and expert comment for the Guardian, Observer, Times, Telegraph, Boundless and other consumer titles and was named one of the top 50 UK travel journalists by the Press Gazette.
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