Under DOT’s new rule, airlines must prominently disclose on the first screen that offers a fare for a customer’s specific itinerary that additional fees for baggage may apply.
The U.S. Department of Transportation today assessed a fine of $130,000 against the Mexican airline Volaris for failing to inform consumers that they may have to pay baggage fees when buying a ticket on the carrier.
This is the first penalty assessed for a violation of the provisions of the Department’s new aviation consumer rule that took effect this past January.
“We adopted our rule on baggage fees to make sure that consumers have complete and accurate information about how much they will have to pay when they book a flight,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said. “We will continue to take enforcement action when carriers fail to comply with our rules.”
Under DOT’s new rule, carriers must prominently disclose on the first screen that offers a fare for a customer’s specific itinerary that additional fees for baggage may apply, as well as show consumers where they can view the baggage fees. The rule applies to all airlines selling air transportation in the United States, including foreign carriers.
For a period beginning 24 January 2012, the date the new rule took effect, a search of flights on Volaris’ website displayed itineraries that listed the fares for outbound and inbound flights, but failed to inform consumers that additional baggage fees might apply.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
