This is question everyone seems to ask themselves every so often. It borders on those existential questions like, “Who am I?” or “Why and I here?” Right now, when it comes to changing the way that airline tickets are sold here in the United States, you can make a difference. Sign our petition to the Secretary of Transportation and let him know you would like to know airline fees up front so you can buy your airfare intelligently.
Passengers begin complaining when they hit the first fee — the telephone reservation fee. They howl when hearing that reserved seats will cost extra. Passengers complain when they check in and have to pay baggage fees. Then they complain when then go through a list of fees for bigger seats, standby flights, upgrades, extra frequent flier miles. They grumble again when they have to pay a fee for a blanket and pillow. They mutter while waiting, and waiting, and waiting for their luggage for which they paid a hefty fee, only to wait.
It is time to take a small action that together with others can make a giant difference.
We’re not going to make these fees go away unless we stop paying them. Fat chance that is going to happen. The next best thing, and the basic free-market effort to work on is to at least get these airline fees published at the same time as airfares are published.
Sign our petition at madashellabouthiddenfees.com and tell your friends to do the same. If we show up with tens of thousands of signatories, DOT will hear you.
The Department of Transportation is working on a series of new rules, regulations and guidelines for the travel industry to help protect the travel consumer. The part dealing with airline fees needs the public’s help. This petition addresses all those hidden fees that airlines tack on after the purchase, some not revealed until you get to the airport to travel.
No one likes surprises at the airport, especially surprises that may cost us lots of unexpected money. The DOT this fall is examining hidden airline fees and is considering a requirement that airlines disclose those fees up front everywhere consumers buy airline tickets.
The Consumer Travel Alliance strongly supports this goal, and is providing travelers with an opportunity to have their voices heard in Washington. September 23 is the last day DOT is accepting public comments on this issue and we have designated the occasion Mad As Hell Day! We will deliver our petition to Secretary LaHood that day and hold a press conference at DOT headquarters.
On Monday the Consumer Travel Alliance is delivering a letter to the Secretary urging airline fee transparency signed by consumer leaders from across the country and from Europe.
By virtually banding together, we have a chance to make a change. Plus, timing is everything in this town. It has been more than a decade since the DOT has looked at changing the regulations governing how airline tickets are sold. This is momentus.
Join us. Together we may not be able to eliminate airline fees, but we can get the airlines to tell the full price of the air transportation we are buying.
Charlie Leocha is the President of Travelers United. He has been working in Washington, DC, for the past 14 years with Congress, the Department of Transportation, and industry stakeholders on travel issues. He was the first consumer representative to the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections appointed by the Secretary of Transportation from 2012 through 2018.
