The group of airlines targeted by the petition includes American, Delta, United, JetBlue, Alaska and Hawaiian. In a statement Monday, Airlines for America said implementing the rule would only confuse customers and make it more difficult to purchase flights.
“DOT’s auxiliary rule is a bad solution in search of a problem,” the statement said.
Rule has been finalized last month after an 18-month process and is expected to come into force on July 1. The Ministry of Transport said this could save consumers more than $500 million per year. According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, airlines collected nearly $5.5 billion in baggage fees Last year.
“We will vigorously defend our rule protecting people from hidden unwanted fees and ensuring travelers can see the full price of a flight before purchasing a ticket,” the Department of Transportation said in a statement responding to the lawsuit. “Many air travelers will be disappointed to learn that the airline lobby is suing to end these common-sense protections. »
Under this rule, airlines or travel booking sites will be required to indicate fees related to checking in a first or second bag, transporting a bag, changing a bag a reservation or cancellation of a reservation the first time the rate is provided. Several airlines have recently raised the price to check a bag – and some fees vary depending on the flight.
Consumer advocate John Breyault, vice-president of public policy for the National Consumer League, said he was disappointed but not surprised to see the trial. He said the benefit of this rule for passengers is that it makes it easier for travelers to make an “apples to apples comparison” of flight costs.
“Now they're going to have to tell you a more real cost up front,” he said.
When this announcement Under the rule, the Biden administration said it would end “bait-and-switch tactics” that could lead consumers to believe they were getting a better deal than the final price after fees. Airlines for America said carriers have already made significant investments in their websites and apps to make it easy for passengers to book tickets tailored to their specific needs – with fees disclosed before purchase.
“Airlines go to great lengths to inform their customers of these fees,” the statement said. “In addition to the disclosures required by existing DOT regulations, airlines are engaging in competitive advertising and emphasizing incidental fee discounts and benefits when promoting their loyalty programs.”
In comments Presented as part of the process of developing the new rule, Airlines for America argued that carriers are motivated to provide good service by their own success and not by government mandates. The rule, they said, “would impose cluttered and clunky search protocols, causing delayed and unclear search results, which consumers neither want nor need.”
The Biden administration's campaign against “junk fees” has extended beyond airlines has late credit card fees, accommodation costscable company fees and convenience fees for tickets to live events.
