FCCPC Opens Inquiry Into Airline Fare Transparency Complaints

The inquiry followed a rise in passenger complaints about additional charges that only appeared late in the booking process, prompting the consumer regulator to request pricing disclosures from several carriers.

Regulation Desk · 25 May 2018 · 2 min read

The Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission (FCCPC) opened an inquiry on 25 May 2018 into complaints that some domestic airlines were not clearly disclosing fees and surcharges until late in the online booking process.

A Rise in Passenger Complaints

The commission said it had received a growing number of complaints from travellers who reported final fares substantially higher than the price initially advertised, once baggage, payment processing and other charges were added at checkout.

Requests for Pricing Disclosures

As part of the inquiry, the FCCPC requested detailed fare-breakdown documentation from several carriers, saying it would determine whether further consumer-protection action was warranted once its review was complete.