Airtran, Delta Fined for Ad Violations
The Department of Transportation on Friday assessed civil penalties against AirTran and Delta for violating rules that require airline price advertisements to disclose the full price consumers must pay. AirTran was fined $20,000 and Delta $40,000.
The DOT said AirTran posted a press release Feb.16 on its website advertising a “Leave the Blizzard Behind Sale” that lasted for 72 hours and applied to travel on AirTran before May 26. The release advertised fares starting as low as $39 one-way, but the DOT said an investigation revealed the lowest available fare for the sale was $44.
According to the DOT consent order, AirTran said the reference to a $39 fare in the press release resulted from an oversight by the drafter, who used a template from a January 2010 fare sale that offered $39 fares.
The action against Delta involved the carrier’s failure to provide adequate notice of taxes and fees that were not included in certain base fares at the first point they were advertised on Delta.com, the DOT said.
On Internet displays, airlines may prominently note that taxes and fees are extra, with that statement being a link that takes a consumer directly to a description of the nature and amount of those charges.
However, on some of Delta’s Internet displays, the statement that taxes and fees were extra was not a link, the DOT said. Plus, the link Delta provided failed to refer consumers directly to a statement that provided the required information on additional taxes and fees, the DOT added. Both airlines agreed to their respective fines without admitting wrongdoing.
