Airfare Transparency Group Says Airline Fees Hit Families Hard

Travel Pulse > Travel News > Airfare Transparency Group Says Airline Fees Hit Families Hard

By James Shillinglaw
May 24, 2012 10:35 PM

Open Allies for Airfare Transparency, a group that is seeking full disclosure of airline fees, said that as millions of Americans take to the skies for the opening weekend of summer, families are encountering “unprecedented” hurdles to air travel that could be eased if airlines truly focused on customer needs and kept fees for seating, boarding and the like transparent through and purchasable from travel agents. Since most airlines fail to do so, the group said, whether it's fees for seating that make it hard for parents to sit with their children, or barring pre-boarding for families with small children, families are particularly susceptible.

“What makes the behavior of the airlines even more exasperating for families is the failure to provide airfares on an all-in (fares, taxes and fees) basis upfront," said Art Sackler, executive director of Open Allies for Airfare Transparency.  "Because many airlines withhold that information, families can't figure out how much more it will cost them to sit together until after they purchase their basic tickets -- and that could be hundreds of dollars round trip.” Sackler also said it was very difficult for families to compare prices among airlines that have fees for seats or other add-ons.

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