Survey shows attitudes to ancillary fees
The results of a national consumer survey on attitudes to ancillary fees will be released next week.
The survey, which has been carried out by leading consumer and travel industry groups, assesses what travelers really think of additional fees such as checked baggage and assigned seating that used to be part of the base ticket price.
It forms part of the response to the US Department of Transportation (DOT)’s draft ruling on fees.
The docket for comments on the draft ruling closes on September 22, 2014, but many consumer and business groups are deeply concerned about the current language in the rule.
While the proposed rule includes some notable new consumer protections on ancillary fees, there are also significant gaps in those protections that could leave consumers at risk of continued unfair and deceptive practices by airlines in pricing, marketing and selling those fees.
In addition, the portion of the rulemaking that deals with the critical disclosure of ancillary fees has been put at risk of being delayed deep into 2015, as the draft rule includes many other controversial provisions that have not been well vetted and will require lengthy additional time for review.
The results of the survey will be revealed on Thursday, September 4 at 11:00am (EST), by the group including Travelers United, the American Society of Travel Agents, Business Travel Coalition, Travel Technology Association and Open Allies for Airfare Transparency.
Lisa
Lisa joined Travel Weekly nearly 25 years ago as technology reporter and then sailed around the world for a couple of years as cruise correspondent, before becoming deputy editor. Now freelance, Lisa writes for various print and web publications, edits Corporate Traveller’s client magazine, Gateway, and works on the acclaimed Remembering Wildlife series of photography books, which raise awareness of nature’s most at-risk species and helps to fund their protection.
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