(Headline USA) Lawmakers are considering rolling back a rule that requires airlines to show the total price of a ticket upfront in advertising in a massive bill covering the Federal Aviation Administration.
On Friday, Republicans and Democrats on the House Transportation Committee released a 773-page proposal to reauthorize FAA programs for the next five years.
One provision of the House bill would let airlines advertise the “base airfare” — excluding taxes and fees — as long as they include a link to the all-in price or disclose it some other way.
“These protections were hard fought and took years to enact,” said William McGee, an aviation expert at the American Economic Liberties Project.
“Any consumer can tell you that online airline bookings are confusing enough,” he continued,
“The last thing we need is to roll back an existing protection that provides effective transparency.”
Some other contentious topics were left out, including raising the mandatory retirement age of 65 for pilots and easing restrictions on flights from Reagan Washington National Airport in northern Virginia.
Rep. Rick Larsen, D-Wash., described the proposal as a compromise.
He said many issues could still be fought out when congressional committees begin considering changes in the legislation next week.
Adapted from reporting by the Associated Press
