Spirit Protests New Airfare Pricing Rules

By Author: Steve Robinson
Total Articles: 467
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To encourage people to fly, airlines constantly promote cheap fares, including cheap airplane tickets and cheap vacation packages. Now Spirit Airlines is complaining that the government’s new airline pricing rule is forcing it to advertise higher prices.

On Spirit’s home page it has been running a big “Warning!” sign which says “New government regulations require us to HIDE taxes in your fares. This is not consumer friendly or in your best interest. It’s wrong and you shouldn’t stand for it.”

The new rule forces airlines to include all mandatory per passenger taxes and fees in their advertised prices. Prior to this rule, airlines were able to advertise base fares or show base fares on the first screen of online price results, adding taxes and fees later in the shopping process.

Senator Boxer of California called Spirit’s message to customers a “deliberate attempt to deceive the flying public.” Spirit’s position is that “We have always shown taxes before someone purchased. They now want them hidden. It is wrong and we will fight for consumers.”

A group advocating ...
... for transparency, called the Business Travel Coalition views Spirit’s message as “a disgraceful lie” employing “over the top fear tactics.”

The Department of Transportation (DOT) points out that it is now requiring airlines to post the full price of travel, but leaves it to the airlines if they want to break out fees and taxes separately.

Other airlines are also protesting the new DOT pricing rule claiming that there is no justification for treating air travel differently from almost everything else that consumers purchase. For example, retailers are allowed to quote sale prices in their circulars that do not include taxes.

While airfares may look higher as a result of the new rule, airfare prices have not risen as a result of this rule.
www.cheapfares.com