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03/05/2005: "Web Pricing is 'Illegal'"

Web Pricing is 'Illegal' by Simon Crawshaw

Trading standards officers believe operators are breaking the law by copying no-frills airlines in not including mandatory payments in online headline prices. A co-operative Travel Trading Group report said the practice by some operators - including First Choice and Thomas Cook - of not including costs such as fuel surcharges and ticket-on-departure fees was misleadings customers.

Travel trading stanrdas office Bruce Treloar said the practice contravened the Consumer Protections Act and was therefore illegal - even though a crown court ruled in favour of Ryanair over a similar complaint. As a result of that case, Ryanair can continue to promote basic fares as long as it includes the words "plus extras".

Treloar said: "A decision in one case doesn't change the Act. Headline prices should include all non-optional extra charges - simple as that." Mike Greenacre, CTTG chief operating officer, said Abta should lobby for industry-wide transparency. "The ruling for no-frills carriers means operators have had to react to be competitive," he said. "Abta should back the inclusion of mandatory prices in headline prices. This is about consumers not being conned."

But an Abta spokesman said it would not clamp down without clarification from the Office of Fair Trading. A First-Choice spokeswoman said: "Our ideal would be to include all mandatory charges, but due to technical restriants, this is not possible. We are looking to resolve this in a bid to become as transparent as possible."

(This article was taken from the Travel Trade Gazette)