Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg sharply criticized a recent lawsuit filed by major airlines over a new rule that requires airlines to disclose extra fees on purchases.
“We just issued a rule requiring airlines to inform you, before you buy a ticket, about the fees they will charge,” Buttigieg said Tuesday in a statement. post on social platform. “Now the airline lobby is suing us, saying that if we are entitled to this information, it will ‘confuse’ them. For the first time, I am speechless.”
The lawsuit was filed last Friday by the trade group Airlines for America, as well as Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, JetBlue Airways Corp., Hawaiian Airlines and Alaska Airlines. In a statement, Airlines for America said the rule “will greatly confuse consumers, who will be inundated with information that will only serve to complicate the purchasing process.”
“Airlines go to great lengths to inform their customers about these fees. In addition to the disclosures required by existing DOT (Department of Transportation) regulations, airlines engage in competitive advertising and emphasize discounts and incidental fee benefits when promoting their loyalty programs,” the group wrote.
The Department of Transportation said in a statement to The Hill that it will “vigorously defend our rule that protects people from unwanted hidden fees and ensures that travelers can see the full price of a flight before purchasing a ticket.”
“Many air travelers will be disappointed to learn that the airline lobby is suing to end these common-sense protections,” the statement continues.
The Biden administration finalized the rule late last month, with Buttigieg saying in a statement at the time that “airlines should be competing with each other to secure passenger business — not to see who can charge the most in surprise fees.”
“The DOT’s new rule will save passengers more than half a billion dollars a year in unnecessary or unexpected fees by holding airlines accountable for being transparent with their customers,” he continued.
The Hill has reached out to Airlines for America for comment.
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