The European Parliament has endorsed a ban on advertising airline fares that exclude additional charges.
The new regulation was agreed upon by ‘common position’ – without requiring a formal vote – after not one single member of the 785-strong assembly raised any objections.
It will come into effect before the end of the year and could result in airlines being fined if they fail to disclose ‘hidden fees’ such as taxes and airport charges.
While some EU countries already have rules in place prohibiting the promotion of such deals, lawmakers in Strasbourg insist that new legislation is necessary to ensure compliance across the continent.
“I think at the moment people are paying more then they expected to in the first place,” the BBC quoted Robert Evans, a British Labour MEP, as saying.
“They see an advert, a headlined figure, but when they actually end up paying for it it’s a lot more than that because there are extras that hadn’t been made properly aware to them at the beginning.”
The association of European Airlines has backed the new law, saying consumers are “fed up” with what many regard as false advertising.
