The lobbying group Airlines for America and six major U.S. airlines have filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Transportation over a final rule issued in April related to disclosure of airline ancillary service fees, according to court documents filed Friday with the U.S. Court of Appeals. . In the 5th Circuit of Louisiana.
The new rules require airlines and ticket agents to disclose all incidental or additional fees along with the full fare, and airlines must provide information about all fees to companies that are required to provide them. According to the DOT, individual fees must be disclosed on the airline's online platform and must not be displayed via hyperlink.
The airlines involved in the lawsuit are Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Hawaiian Airlines, JetBlue Airways, and United Airlines.
The petitioners seek an injunction to invalidate and invalidate the final rule, which they challenge on the grounds that it is “contrary to law,” including that it “exceeds the authority of the Department,” and that it is “arbitrary, capricious, and an abuse of rights.” “He claims. “At your discretion, otherwise it is against the law.”
“U.S. airlines care deeply about the customer purchasing experience, from the first search to the final purchase, and have invested heavily in their websites and mobile apps to provide transparency of all costs and ease of use for each customer with a path to purchase tailored to the customer’s specific choices. “Airlines already provide full disclosure of all fees associated with air travel before consumers purchase airline tickets,” A4A said in a statement.
The group added that DOT's surcharge rules will greatly confuse consumers by 'overloading them with information' that complicates the purchasing process.
“DOT’s attempt to regulate private business operations in a thriving market exceeds its authority,” A4A said, noting that airlines are making “significant efforts” to disclose these fees and that consumers are “well aware” of the existence of ancillary service fees. He added that there is. .
A4A said disclosure rules already exist and that “airlines engage in competitive advertising and highlight fringe fee discounts and benefits when promoting loyalty programs. DOT secondary rules are a bad solution for finding a problem.”
“We will strongly defend rules that protect people from hidden junk fees and ensure travelers can see the full price of a flight before purchasing a ticket,” the DOT said in a statement. “Many air travelers will be disappointed to learn that the airline lobby is suing to stop these common-sense protections.”
DOT Announces Airline Surcharge and Refund Rules