Travel agents are calling on airlines to provide more transparency over surcharges, which continue to rise, claiming that the inability to give clients clear information surrounding these costs is eroding trust.
The World Travel Agents Associations Alliance (WTAAA) wants airlines to adopt a more transparent and collaborative approach to airline-imposed surcharges, explaining that while the surcharges were originally associated with fuel-cost recovery, they are now used more broadly by some carriers, some labelled as an international surcharge, and it adds some of these surcharges are non-refundable.
WTAAA’s executive director Otto de Vries says that travel advisors are often the ones explaining complex charges and assisting clients when plans are disrupted, and he adds they want transparent pricing practices that help consumers understand the full cost of travel and reinforce confidence in the professional travel distribution system.
“While the WTAAA position is not opposed to legitimate cost recovery where required to support airline operations in a volatile geopolitical and fuel environment, greater transparency on airline-imposed surcharges would help strengthen consumer trust across the value chain,” says de Vries.
WTAAA wants airlines to offer clear and consistent disclosure of airline-imposed surcharges at the point of sale and throughout the booking journey.
It wants full incorporation of airline-imposed surcharges into base fares to eliminate fragmented pricing, and fair and prompt refunds when flights are cancelled.
It also asks for reasonable notice of surcharge changes, and industry dialogue on simpler, more transparent fare presentation.
