Trading Standards steps up attacks on airlines - 10-Aug-04.: "The Trading Standards Institute is increasing the pressure on airlines and travel companies to show all-inclusive prices on it websites.
Principal trading standards officer Bruce Treloar said the practice of advertising headline flight prices exclusive of taxes breached the Consumer Protection Act of 1987 by giving customers 'a misleading price indication'.
Treloar said Ryanair, which advertises prices from 99p and both easyJet and British Airways, which quote prices exclusive of tax were all breaking the law. But he added any travel company which does not quote the full fare clearly as part of the main price was also advertising illegally.
TSI has joined forces with the Office of Fair Trading, the Air Transport Users' Council, Local Authorities Co-ordinators of Regulatory Services and the Advertising Standards Authority to produce a new guidance paper detailing the legal requirements for all sales of flights on websites.
'Airlines are misleading customers,' said Treloar. 'People get drawn to these websites because they claim to charge a low fare and may not go elsewhere to get a proper comparison of prices.'
Treloar said he would spend a short period of time, thought to be the next few months, compiling evidence of airlines which are contravening the Consumer Protection Act and pass it on to the OFT.
However, a spokeswoman for the OFT said it could only take action if it received complaints from consumers.
'We have collaborated to produce guidance notes to help businesses,' said the spokeswoman. 'But we can only act on complaints received.'
Airlines have made a staunch defence of their position and pledged to continue with their sales tactics.
A spokesman for Ryanair, which recently announced record "
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