Search Travel Market Report

mainlogo
www.travelmarketreport.com
U.S.A.
English
Canada
English
Canada Quebec
Français
Menu
  • News
  • Packaged Travel
  • Cruise
  • Hotels & Resorts
  • Destinations
  • Retail Strategies
  • Air
  • Training & Resources
  • Luxury Travel Report

Department of Transportation Drops Airline Fee Transparency Efforts

by Richard D'Ambrosio  December 11, 2017
Department of Transportation Drops Airline Fee Transparency Efforts

Photo: Shutterstock.com

Consumer advocates, including the American Society of Travel Agents (ASTA), decried the Department of Transportation’s (DOT) move to not press airlines to more clearly and fully disclose passenger fees.

DOT said it is withdrawing a supplemental notice of proposed rulemaking (SNPRM) on Transparency of Airline Ancillary Service Fees issued by the Obama Administration on Jan. 9, 2017.  The SNPRM proposed “to require air carriers, foreign air carriers, and ticket agents to clearly disclose to consumers at all points of sale customer-specific fee information, or itinerary-specific information if a customer elects not to provide customer-specific information, for a first checked bag, a second checked bag, and one carry-on bag wherever fare and schedule information is provided to consumers.”

DOT said that “we are withdrawing this rulemaking in light of the comments we received” and that the withdrawal “corresponds with the Department’s and Administration’s priorities,” and is consistent with a Jan. 30 executive order signed by President Trump to reduce regulations and control regulatory costs.

“We are disappointed with the DOT’s decision,” said Eben Peck, ASTA executive vice president, advocacy. “While a far cry from the full transparency in and consumer access to airline ancillary fees ASTA has been pushing for since 2011, the Department’s January 2017 proposal requiring that consumers be notified of airline bag fees at all points of sale – including through travel agents – was a step in the right direction.”

“This withdrawn rulemaking was created to allow airline consumers to determine the full cost of travel, including airfare as well as ancillary fees together with their exceptions and exemptions,” said Charles Leocha, founder of Travelers United. Without clear, public data available to travel agents and on the Internet, travelers find it impossible to effectively comparison shop.”

Not making air travel great again
FlyersRights.org released a similar statement. President Paul Hudson said “This is NOT how you make air travel great again. Airlines are already exempt from all state and local consumer protection, much antitrust law, most other federal regulations and tort law. The DOT is their sole regulator.”

Earlier this year, ASTA published research that showed that 79 percent of travelers support requiring airlines to disclose all fees up front; that 75 percent of Americans believe the government should prohibit airlines from charging for carry-on bags; and 66 percent support the prohibition of checked-bag fees altogether.

Further, according to the ASTA study, Americans are seven times more likely to say the government favors airlines over passengers, with general consensus across genders, generations and income levels.

Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao said in a statement posted on the department’s web site that DOT “is committed to protecting consumers from hidden fees and to ensuring transparency. However, we do not believe that departmental action is necessary to meet this objective at this time.”

ASTA continues lobbying efforts
ASTA and others disagreed. “ASTA believes strongly that withholding important airline information from consumers who engage the services of a professional travel advisor harms the traveling public, and that those who purchase their travel through agents should be as informed and empowered as those who buy directly from airlines. While today is a setback, we intend to continue our efforts in Washington to make sure these travelers can see, compare and buy ancillary services through their agent,” Peck said.

“If the DOT refuses to correct abuses or enforce existing regulations … and repeals existing regulations, airlines will be the first U.S. industry to have stripped the public of all economic protections from unfair predatory practices. Only Congress and the federal courts can now override this unfortunate DOT decision,” said Hudson at FlyersRights.org, which says it has more than 60,000 members.

Leocha at Travelers United called the department’s actions a “dereliction of duty” and “an abdication of their legal responsibility.”

  0
  0
Related Articles
Orlando International Becomes First Airport to Use Facial Recognition on All Passengers
DOT to Probe FAA’s Supervision of Southwest Airlines
DOT Opposes Proposed Consumer Airline Protections
DOT’s Look at a Problematic Future

MOST VIEWED

  1. Power Outage in Spain and Portugal Causes Major Travel Disruptions, Including at Madrid Airport
  2. 5 Things I Liked About Norwegian Aqua – and 4 I’m Not Sold On
  3. Testing the Waters with Dori: Do Travel Advisors Actually Dislike Viking?
  4. Beaches Ocho Rios Resort to Close Doors in May 2025
  5. How Pope Francis’ Funeral Will Impact Travel to Rome and Vatican City
  6. Using a Phone on a Cruise Ship Will Cost Thousands: Urban Myth or Reality?


  1. TTC Tour Week Returns with 9 FAM Trips Scheduled for November
  2. Travel Advisor Appreciation Month Offers Not to Be Missed
  3. Booking on Grandma’s Budget: How Grandparents Are Driving Multi-Gen and Skip-Gen Travel
  4. Sandals Has ‘Strong Interest’ in Bringing Beaches to St. Vincent & the Grena
  5. The Best Hotels to Book in Portugal & Spain: Roundup From an ALGV FAM 
  6. Vanessa McGovern Lands at Global Travel Collection
TMR Subscription

Subscribe today to receive daily in-depth luxury coverage, analysis of luxury news, luxury trends and issues that affect how you do business. Subscribe now for free.

Subscribe to TMR

Top Stories
The Top 11 Hottest Adventure Tours of 2025 (So Far)
The Top 11 Hottest Adventure Tours of 2025 (So Far)

Top tour operators talk their best-selling products for 2025.

U.S. Issues Travel Alerts for Myanmar & Thailand Following Earthquakes
U.S. Issues Travel Alerts for Myanmar & Thailand Following Earthquakes

On Friday, March 28, a 7.7 magnitude earthquake struck Burma in Myanmar, with tremors felt in neighboring Thailand and China.

Free Roundtrip Airfare from AmaWaterways for Egypt River Cruises
Free Roundtrip Airfare from AmaWaterways for Egypt River Cruises

Your clients can get free air on select 2025 and 2026 cruise and land journeys.

U.S. Secretary of State Promises to Reevaluate Jamaica Travel Warning
U.S. Secretary of State Promises to Reevaluate Jamaica Travel Warning

The U.S. State Department has told Americans to “reconsider” travel to Jamaica since July 2024.

What to Expect from Celestyal’s Middle East Desert Day Cruises
What to Expect from Celestyal’s Middle East Desert Day Cruises

With its first-ever Arabian Gulf season wrapped up, here’s everything your clients need to know about Celestyal’s offering in the region.

Tahiti Tourisme Appoints New CEO
Tahiti Tourisme Appoints New CEO

The new CEO currently serves as the organization’s CMO.

TMR OUTLOOKS & WHITE PAPERS
View All
industry spotlight
https://img.youtube.com/vi/TVZhtAkFzW8/0.jpg
How ALG Vacations Is Redefining Travel Advisor Appreciation in 2025
Advertiser's Voice
We Celebrate YOU
About Travel Market Report Mission Meet the Team Advisory Board Advertise Syndication Guidelines
TMR Resources Calendar of Events Outlook/Whitepapers Previous Sponsored Articles Previous This Week Articles
Subscribe to TMR
Select Language
Do You Have an Idea Email
editor@travelmarketreport.com
Give Us a Call
1-(516) 730-3097
Drop Us a Note
Travel Market Report
71 Audrey Ave, Oyster Bay, NY 11771
© 2005 - 2025 Travel Market Report, an American Marketing Group Inc. Company All Rights Reserved | Terms and Conditions
Cookie Policy Privacy Policy Manage cookie preferences