Over airline industry objections, the U.S. Department of Transportation has just issued a ruling that airline telephone reservation agents have to tell passengers who ask for the lowest fares when a lower fare is available on the Web. The reasoning: if an airline is selling a low fare somewhere, any higher fare isn't its "lowest fare" even if it's the lowest fare that agent is authorized to sell.

They don't have to offer the fare on the phone, just tell you about it. What you do when they tell you is up to you.

Travel agents don't have to do the same.

More info in Saturday's Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2000Oct20.html