FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Washington DC Attorney General sues Marriott over "deceptive resort fees"

Jul 10, 2019, 2:43 pm

#49

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Quote:

Originally Posted by HNLbasedFlyer

But, the FTC in the US essentially regulates this issue and they have stated numerous times that a resort fee does not need to be displayed as part of a advertised room rate as long as it is displayed as part of the booking path. The FTC could simply say today, resort fees must be displayed as part of the room rate but they haven't and no indication they will. A court will have to find as a matter of law, a court can overrule the FTC policy. The FTC has been on record on this issue since 2012 and affirmed it many times. For instance, when you book on Marriott - the resort fees are prominently displayed - if they weren't the FTC would step in.

Marriott *doesn't* display them in total on the first search page. They are intentionally hidden. The entire purpose of a resort fee is deception - there's literally no ethical reason for them to exist.

If the Federal agency wants to side with industry lobbyists, fine. That does not prohibit a state AG from going after the hotels at that level.

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