Airlines face more pressure to reveal hidden travel costs

The European Commission today stepped up its attack on airlines misleading passengers over the real cost of travel – and warned that it would take action against them if national authorities fail to do so.

Consumer Commissioner Meglena Kuneva said consumer patience was wearing thin over confusing advertising and hidden costs on ticket websites – and so was her own.

“My message to the airline industry is very clear – full compliance with EU is an obligation, not an option,” she declared.

The latest broadside comes a year after a 15-country airline ticket survey co-ordinated by the Commission showed that more than 50% of the sites carried confusing prices and contract terms. The UK was not involved because the Office of Fair Trading had already conducted a domestic national survey.

But Ms Kuneva is frustrated that national authorities are refusing to “name and shame” the airlines found to be persisting with misleading information.

She is launching her own in-house Commission survey early next year, and warning that Brussels will name and shame offending airlines which have not fallen in line by next May.

Last month, new rules came into force obliging airlines to make clear in their advertising the price passengers actually pay – including all taxes and airport charges which are sometimes hidden in the small print or not mentioned at all.

However, Ms Kuneva is not convinced it will do the trick.

“The patience of consumers across Europe is wearing thin, and so is my own” she said.

“About 60% of websites with irregularities have now been corrected as a result of our EU investigation, which is ongoing since September 2007.

“But there are still far too many consumer complaints about hidden charges and fees, and too many cases where pricing is not clear.

“The Commission is going the extra mile to help the airlines industry put its own house in order. But in May 2009 we intend to call time and publish our own compliance report on the sector.”

She has joined forces with Brussels colleague Antonio Tajani, the Commissioner in charge of transport policy, to add more pressure on airlines.

Mr Tajani commented: “Thanks to EU law all passengers must have access to the real price to pay, in full transparency. This is a big step forward and we count on the co-operation of airlines to secure the protection of their consumers. It is in their interests to guarantee the best quality of services and fair competition.”

The new EU rules ban airlines from adding “optional” additional charges without passengers’ express consent.

Different air ticket prices for the same journey booked in different EU countries are also outlawed.