raffy
Jan 8, 02, 4:15 pm
Expedia fined for not listing fuel surcharges / Airline-owned web site among seven outfits cited in 2001
Online travel seller Expedia has been fined $40,000 by the U.S. Department of Transportation for failing to include fuel surcharges, generally about $20 on a one-way ticket, in some air-fare listings.
The consent order last month was one of seven DOT actions last year against airlines, Internet companies and other travel sellers for failing to include the surcharge, which major airlines began adding nearly two years ago. Fines in the cases total more than $240,000, although most companies, including Expedia, need pay only half the fine if they comply with the order to include the fuel surcharge in the base price (the fare before taxes and fees) in advertisements.
The DOT focused on Expedia's "Fare Calendar" option, which lets consumers search for the lowest fares between two cities. It said the search called up fares without the fuel surcharge but with a note that a surcharge might apply; the fare including the surcharge was later displayed before purchase.
(When checked Dec. 24, www.expedia.com (http://www.expedia.com) was posting a note that said "estimated fuel surcharges" were included in quoted fares.)
The DOT said it was "investigating several other Internet travel agencies" regarding fare displays.
The other consent orders on fuel surcharges involved Grand Bahamas Vacations, Vacation Express Holdings Inc., Northwest Airlines, Lowestfare.com, Vanguard Airlines and US Airways.
Online travel seller Expedia has been fined $40,000 by the U.S. Department of Transportation for failing to include fuel surcharges, generally about $20 on a one-way ticket, in some air-fare listings.
The consent order last month was one of seven DOT actions last year against airlines, Internet companies and other travel sellers for failing to include the surcharge, which major airlines began adding nearly two years ago. Fines in the cases total more than $240,000, although most companies, including Expedia, need pay only half the fine if they comply with the order to include the fuel surcharge in the base price (the fare before taxes and fees) in advertisements.
The DOT focused on Expedia's "Fare Calendar" option, which lets consumers search for the lowest fares between two cities. It said the search called up fares without the fuel surcharge but with a note that a surcharge might apply; the fare including the surcharge was later displayed before purchase.
(When checked Dec. 24, www.expedia.com (http://www.expedia.com) was posting a note that said "estimated fuel surcharges" were included in quoted fares.)
The DOT said it was "investigating several other Internet travel agencies" regarding fare displays.
The other consent orders on fuel surcharges involved Grand Bahamas Vacations, Vacation Express Holdings Inc., Northwest Airlines, Lowestfare.com, Vanguard Airlines and US Airways.