Fairer Airline Ticket Advertising for Flights to Spain

September 04, 2006

The European commission is clamping down on misleading advertising by forcing airline companies to include all added charges in ticket prices to and from Spain.

A study carried out for the commission shows that of 16 European airlines only four (Air France, Air
Berlin, British Airways and easyJet) include taxes in the advertised prices of their special offers.

One company offering an Amsterdam-London flight for 49 euros ends up charging the passenger 160 euros after adding taxes and surcharges.

The EC intends to stop adverts offering flights for as little as one euro, to which airport taxes, fuel and other surcharges are added at the moment of paying.

Commission members say passengers are confused by fares that become far more expensive when they come to pay. The commission wants to put an end to the unfair competition by stopping misleading advertising so customers know exactly what they will be paying.

In Spain, consumer association Facua has reported Iberia to the National Consumers Institute for offering 15-euro fares that eventually cost three times that with surcharges.

Brussels’ plans coincide with the release of a report this week showing that a third of all foreign holidaymakers fly to Spain with low-cost airlines.

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