Comments on: Clear Airfares Act left sitting on the tarmac http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/clear-airfares-act-left-sitting-on-the-tarmac/ Consumer advocate Christopher Elliott's site. Fri, 10 Feb 2012 05:25:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jasper http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/clear-airfares-act-left-sitting-on-the-tarmac/comment-page-1/#comment-34103 Jasper Mon, 15 Feb 2010 13:29:26 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10831#comment-34103 @ Richard: Similar laws exist in the Netherlands. The vendor is responsible for all customer service interaction and warranties. The vendor sold the product, so the vendor is responsible for warranties and trouble-shooting. This puts an incentive on vendors to not sell crap. This is a generic law that applies to everything you buy, whether it's travel, electronics or food. @ Richard: Similar laws exist in the Netherlands. The vendor is responsible for all customer service interaction and warranties. The vendor sold the product, so the vendor is responsible for warranties and trouble-shooting. This puts an incentive on vendors to not sell crap. This is a generic law that applies to everything you buy, whether it’s travel, electronics or food.

]]> By: Richard Trilling http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/clear-airfares-act-left-sitting-on-the-tarmac/comment-page-1/#comment-34099 Richard Trilling Mon, 15 Feb 2010 08:01:03 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10831#comment-34099 As far as I can tell, European legislation requires ALL airlines fees (this includes various taxes)to be disclosed before you buy your ticket. This seems to be one of many cases where the US consumer protection laws should catch up. Another aspect of French laws (perhaps European too) is that if you buy a package through a travel agency (at times airlines act as one), and if anything goes wrong, it's the travel agencies sole legal responsibility. The agnecy can not turn round and ask you to negociate with hotel, ... They are soley responsable! Richard As far as I can tell, European legislation requires ALL airlines fees (this includes various taxes)to be disclosed before you buy your ticket. This seems to be one of many cases where the US consumer protection laws should catch up.

Another aspect of French laws (perhaps European too) is that if you buy a package through a travel agency (at times airlines act as one), and if anything goes wrong, it’s the travel agencies sole legal responsibility. The agnecy can not turn round and ask you to negociate with hotel, … They are soley responsable!

Richard

]]> By: Josh http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/clear-airfares-act-left-sitting-on-the-tarmac/comment-page-1/#comment-34097 Josh Mon, 15 Feb 2010 05:00:46 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10831#comment-34097 Agree with @Jake -- I don't have a major issue with local taxes on rental cars/hotels etc, but they should be rolled into the quoted rate (just as electricity, lawn mowing, property taxes, paint, floor mopping, etc etc etc are). If city A charges an exorbitant tax on their local business (the hotel) and thus generally has higher prices, then people should move their conventions and vacations to city B. This competition is the check and balance on these soak-the-visitor taxes. The hotel certainly can call out the amount of these taxes on the bill to make people aware, but the main rate should be all inclusive. Agree with @Jake — I don’t have a major issue with local taxes on rental cars/hotels etc, but they should be rolled into the quoted rate (just as electricity, lawn mowing, property taxes, paint, floor mopping, etc etc etc are).

If city A charges an exorbitant tax on their local business (the hotel) and thus generally has higher prices, then people should move their conventions and vacations to city B. This competition is the check and balance on these soak-the-visitor taxes. The hotel certainly can call out the amount of these taxes on the bill to make people aware, but the main rate should be all inclusive.

]]> By: Jake http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/clear-airfares-act-left-sitting-on-the-tarmac/comment-page-1/#comment-34071 Jake Sun, 14 Feb 2010 17:00:42 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10831#comment-34071 Seems like the answer should be so simple - if it can't be declined, it MUST be included in the advertised price. Fuel surcharge - can I decline it? Nope, cost of doing business, goes into the base fare. Stadium tax - can I decline it? Nope, cost of doing business, goes into advertised price. When I go to the grocery store and buy an apple I don't care that 50 cents went to the grower, 20 cents to the shipper and 10 cents went to the store for storage and marketing. All of those costs are rolled up into one price, the price the store charges as part of its business model. Travel should be no different. Seems like the answer should be so simple – if it can’t be declined, it MUST be included in the advertised price. Fuel surcharge – can I decline it? Nope, cost of doing business, goes into the base fare. Stadium tax – can I decline it? Nope, cost of doing business, goes into advertised price. When I go to the grocery store and buy an apple I don’t care that 50 cents went to the grower, 20 cents to the shipper and 10 cents went to the store for storage and marketing. All of those costs are rolled up into one price, the price the store charges as part of its business model. Travel should be no different.

]]> By: David Z http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/clear-airfares-act-left-sitting-on-the-tarmac/comment-page-1/#comment-34066 David Z Sun, 14 Feb 2010 16:03:21 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10831#comment-34066 <blockquote>Maybe there ought to be a law.</blockquote> To find the "real" price of a ticket? :)

Maybe there ought to be a law.

To find the “real” price of a ticket? :)

]]> By: Roxy http://www.elliott.org/the-navigator/clear-airfares-act-left-sitting-on-the-tarmac/comment-page-1/#comment-34063 Roxy Sun, 14 Feb 2010 15:18:29 +0000 http://www.elliott.org/?p=10831#comment-34063 The major problem is our elected officials are not slaves to the commercial carriers and therefore don't care what the rest of us endure. The major problem is our elected officials are not slaves to the commercial carriers and therefore don’t care what the rest of us endure.

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