Clampdown on hidden airline fees announced by aviation watchdog

Hidden fees charged by airlines for services such as changing a name on a ticket or checking in at the airport rather than online are set to be clamped down on by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).飛機航班時刻表

The watchdog will assess whether costs are presented to customers in an “open and clear” way in its review of every airline selling tickets in the UK.

This is so “people understand what they are actually paying for” and avoid being stung by extra charges not made clear from the outset, said a CAA spokesperson.
Budget airline Ryanair announced earlier this month it would reduce baggage fees for the majority of its customers – the latest in a series of changes designed to “stop unnecessarily p***ing people off,” the airline’s chief executive Michael O’Leary said amid profit warnings in 2013.

But transparency around additional fees when booking flights remains a common complaint made towards the Irish airline and other low-cost carriers such as Easyjet.

Earlier this month, northern Irish MP Jim Shannon raised the issue in parliament following claims European airlines made almost £13 billion last year through additional charges and the sale of extras including food and insurance, according to The Daily Telegraph.