Cheap flights ads must show hidden fares

Ryanair and Aer Lingus will in future be banned from advertising rock-bottom fares without including often-hidden charges such as airport taxes and luggage surcharges.

This was revealed today to a meeting of the Oireachtas European Affairs Committee by representatives of the Department of Transport who were quizzed by the Committee on a proposed EU Regulation on air transport rules.

Fine Gael Deputy Bernard Allen, who chaired today’s meeting urged the Department to introduce this requirement immediately rather than wait for the EU Regulation to come into force in 2007.

The Department officials undertook to consider this request and to get back to the Committee as soon as possible.

“This is good news for passengers” said Deputy Allen.

“People are travelling more and more by air and they are frequently shocked by finding that the real fare is a multiple of what is advertised. The sooner the Department acts on this kind of misleading advertising the better so that passengers in future know where they stand.”

The EU Regulation aims to simplify and consolidate a number of different Regulations on the operation of flights throughout the EU and between the EU and Third countries.

It contains proposals not just in relation to price transparency but also in relation to health and safety issues and other matters.

The Proposal is currently being considered by the Council of Ministers and the European Parliament in addition to scrutiny by the Oireachtas. It is expected to come into force in late 2007.