U.S. airlines are suing to block the Biden administration from requiring greater transparency over fees that the carriers charge their passengers, saying that a new rule would confuse consumers by giving them too much information during the ticket-buying process.

The U.S. Transportation Department said Monday it will vigorously defend the ruleagainst what it called “hidden junk fees.”

American, Delta, United and three other carriers, along with their industry trade group, sued the Transportation Department in a federal appeals court on Friday, asking the court to overturn the rule.

  • Cyv_
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    6 months ago

    Wouldn’t want informed consumers would we? >.<

  • shyguyblue@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Are these “customers” the same group that retail managers always use as an excuse to not give people chairs?

    “Our customers don’t like it when register workers sit down”

    “Fucking name one…”

  • rockSlayer@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Easy W for Southwest. They’ve had enough bad pr over the years.

    Edit for those that didn’t read, Southwest is the only major airline that isn’t suing

    • restingboredface@sh.itjust.works
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      6 months ago

      One of the reasons I’ve stood by them- they are generally already pretty transparent in their pricing. It’s a no frills airline to be sure, but it’s nice to fly with people who seem to be genuinely happy to be working where they are.

      • hobovision@lemm.ee
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        6 months ago

        It’s no frills but on the kind of flights I think most people use them for, who needs frills? If the flight is under 3 hours or so, a snack pouch and free soda is plenty nice. Plus you don’t feel like you’re second class having to walk by the nice seats on the way to the back.

        I took a United flight from California to Chicago (cause it happened to be cheaper and better timed than SW) and I couldn’t tell you the difference from flying SW besides maybe I knew my seat before boarding?

  • Fedizen@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    A market is where prices are hidden from the buyer?

    Like Joe Biden is trying to make capitalism the least bit functional and all these companies shitting their pants.

  • jaybone@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Wasn’t I just reading about how they are not paying flight attendants a living wage and are providing them with hardship letters they can use to file for government assistance?

    Where is all the money going huh??

  • catloaf@lemm.ee
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    6 months ago

    I just find it funny that for plane tickets it’s “show all the fees” and for ISPs it’s “stop nickel and diming us and just give us the bottom line price”. They’re both regulated industries with numerous fees being passed on to the consumer. Really it should always be the “you pay” price with itemization available, for fixed costs like regulatory fees and sales taxes.

    • DarthChris@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      They’re still the same thing though, a way for corps to charge you more without you noticing. If you red the article the fees they’re talking about are for baggage, changes or cancellations. Those things are technically optional so they shouldn’t be included in the “you pay” price as you say, but should still be disclosed so the consumer knows what other charges they might incur.

    • RagingRobot@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      Hidden fees are standard in the US. Even in the grocery store the price on the label isn’t what you pay. You have to do math in your head to figure out the real price. Everything is purposely misleading. It’s infuriating.

  • The Pantser@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    Wasn’t this already covered under the false advertising laws? Like just beef up that law to cover hidden fees better. You shouldn’t be able to add any fees except tax on a advertised price.

    • manucode@infosec.pub
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      6 months ago

      Why should you be allowed to advertise the price without the tax. Companies should already knock the applicable tax rate when they write these ads and could easily advertise “$x.99, $y.99 with tax”.

      • Bone@lemmy.world
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        6 months ago

        Maybe your comment is meant to cover what I’m about to say, too, or already does, but not even brick and mortar stores list prices on a shelf with tax included. I’m somewhat OK with this because I know the tax hasn’t been figured in yet. But that’s all. Maybe those shelf prices should also be adjusted, but at least they don’t seem as bad as having to account for them PLUS other hidden fees.

        • Monstera@lemmy.ml
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          6 months ago

          How have they not been figured out in those cases? Doesn’t the cashier computer apply it? So it is figured out and also unacceptable

    • MisterFrog@lemmy.world
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      6 months ago

      In most places (in the world other than the US), tax is included in the price. Are you not tired of seeing a price and it not being the price you actually pay?

  • VodkaSolution @feddit.it
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    6 months ago

    The courage it takes to say something like that.
    The courage it takes from lawyers to fight for something like that.
    If I’d believe, I’d wish them to rot in hell.

  • WindyRebel@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    It would be sad if we all brought lawsuits against each airline for lying about their prices saying we will pay one thing and then getting charged a bunch more for things we weren’t told about up front. How sad that would be.

  • painfulasterisk1@lemmy.ml
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    6 months ago

    Well, I guess I can proceed with my legal draft of suing all U.S. airlines that would not allow me to obtain a $2000 boarding pass with my prepaid debit card, which has a balance of $2.53.

  • MisterFrog@lemmy.world
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    6 months ago

    In Australia all junk fees are expressly prohibited by Australian Consumer Law.

    Help, I’m so confused.

    (Not to say things are hunky-dory over here, just that their arguments, while already being ridiculous on first inspection, hold no water whatsoever because things work just fine here with hidden fees being illegal)