Weekend survey: When should an airline or travel agent show the “all-in” price?

When should an airline or travel agent show the “all-in” price, particularly when it comes to fees that used to be part of the ticket?

(Update: This survey is closed. Here are the results.)

As you know a debate is going on in Washington between the airline industry and a group of consumer advocates, travel agents and corporate interests. One side is trying to make the booking process as opaque and confusing as possible. The other is demanding transparency.

Congress will have to decide who is right. In the meantime, you can weigh in on this issue.

Please send me your thoughts or post them in the comments. I’ll have the results early next week.

  • KathyJ

    My preference isn’t an option in your survey. I want them to ask me up front what optional things I want when I’m specifying dates and destinations. The cost is dependent on those (date & destination), and they are used to calculate the price. If the price also depends on other things, those should be asked beforehand as well. Otherwise it’s like saying, Here’s an airline ticket for $25. Oh, you want to go somewhere else? Then it’s $100. Oh, you want to come back? $200. Oh, you want to go on such-and-such a date? $225.

    I do not want them to guess at what options I want, I just want them to ask before they start telling me how much this ticket (et al) is going to cost.

  • Kim E

    Oh how I long for a version of Article 23(1) of the EU Regulation on Air Services ((EC) No 1008/2008) to be implemented in the US:

    1. Air fares and air rates available to the general public shall include the applicable conditions when offered or published in any form, including on the Internet, for air services from an airport located in the territory of a Member State to which the Treaty applies. The final price to be paid shall at all times be indicated and shall include the applicable air fare or air rate as well as all applicable taxes, and charges, surcharges and fees which are unavoidable and foreseeable at the time of publication. In addition to the indication of the final price, at least the following shall be specified:
    (a) air fare or air rate;
    (b) taxes;
    (c) airport charges; and
    (d) other charges, surcharges or fees, such as those related to security or fuel;
    where the items listed under (b), (c) and (d) have been added to the air fare or air rate. Optional price supplements shall be communicated in a clear, transparent and unambiguous way at the start of any booking process and their acceptance by the customer shall be on an “opt-in” basis.

  • RussellM

    Right now, I can go to a computer website, and completely customize an order for a new desktop or a laptop computer. Through a series of pulldowns or entry boxes, I specify the options that I want. As I go through and choose different options, the price is continually being updated along the side. This is happening right now, with existing web technology. It isn’t rocket science, it isn’t difficult. Apple.com and Hp.com are the best examples.
    This is what i want from the airlines. Show me the available flights, let me choose them. Show me the options for the number of travelers, and/or children. Show me options for checking bags, and let me choose what I need. Throughout the process, show me the running total for the options that I have chosen. This way, I can have two airlines up side by side, and compare prices as I go.
    Simple, apples to apples comparison. Why is this so difficult?

  • http://www.holidayindia.net shashank Naithani

    i have seen that the travel agents takes more money
    they don’t think of the customers they need only money.

  • http://mytimetotravel.wordpress.com KathyW

    I agree with KathyJ and RusselM. I’ll pay to check a bag (although I’m more likely to fly Jet Blue), but I don’t necessarily want to pay to choose my seat, or pay to choose a premium seat. For instance, I just booked on Indigo (budget Indian airline), and paid a minimal fee to pick a non-premium seat, but not a higher fee for a premium seat. Then there’s the optional insurance…

  • Nancy

    Sinc I live in Denver, I fly Frontier a lot. I book on their website. They not only list the prices for the whole week around your chosen date, they also have the option to buy a higher priced ticket which includes various options (luggage, seats, direct TV, etc.). And the prices listed include all taxes and fees. No surprises.

  • Jake

    As a few others have said, let me put in the options I need at the outset (1 checked bag, extra legroom, etc), and have the search return results fitting that criteria. Whoever puts together a search engine that can do this will make a million bucks!

  • Roberto

    What would make my life easiest would be if I could bake my “optional” fees into the initial search.

    For instance, I often know how many bags I intend to check or whether or not want to reserve a seat, etc. I’d love if the search engine would give me a quick Turbo Tax style interview where I could pick my add-ons, and then all of the fare quotes would include the options that I intend to add (for instance, the bag fee would be included in the legacy-carrier quotes, but Southwest wouldn’t include the bag fee, etc.)

  • Steve

    I’m with KathyJ and Roberto. I voted “when I ask for a fare quote” in the survey, but I want those optional fees to still be separated out from the base fare because I may or may not need to pay them; I don’t want the search engine to assume that I’m checking bags or want a premium seat. Their suggestions make sense.

  • Aaron

    I totally agree that optional fees should be included. Imagine if Expedia, Hotwire, etc. had a question on their search page asking how many bags you want to check (and perhaps an option to check if you are exempt from bag fees on any airlines). That would TOTALLY change the search outcomes (and maybe get people thinking about how much they want to pack).

    I bet that would make for happier consumers, and it might also make bag fees go away. After all, I really think that half the reason they’ve instituted them is to get better results on ticket search engines. Expedia, etc. have the opportunity to level the playing field a bit here… come on, guys!!!

    Aaron

  • Salami

    When will TATL boat traffic increase again?

  • Sarah Di

    Plus, if I know that I’m going to be checking a bag, I’d prefer to be able to pay for it when I buy my tickets. Then it’s not coming out of my money for the trip and I know it’s already taken care of. Maybe this could be offered at a discounted amount and then you can have the option of checking another bag at check in if you find it to be necessary or getting a refund of the prepaid cost if you end up not needing to check a bag.

  • FL Traveler

    Would like to avoid extra fees as much as possible but some I would be willing to pay for since I NEED/WANT them. Price can be a determining factor so we need as many facts as possible up front and fewer/no surprises at the airport. Course, this customizing might be “difficult” and cause another charge, I Wouldn;t be surprised! :O)

  • DaveS

    I imagine it isn’t that long until we’ll be getting better information. One problem is that each airline has different optional things at different prices, and often the same airline will offer different things on different flights. Also, a person’s status with the airline will affect what fees are charged. So if I want to fly from Chicago to New York, there may millions of possible fee combinations depending on airline, flight and personal decisions. I can’t wade through that. I guess I’m OK with seeing an honest base fare on a search, then making a separate decision on optional extras.

    Frankly I also see the merit of making fees a separate purchase. Normally I wouldn’t pay for extra legroom. Maybe a day has been particularly hectic and I decide to do so at the last minute. Maybe I didn’t have time to grab a lunch and decide to purchase the airline’s food. Maybe I decide to go ahead and check a bag. I wouldn’t want to have to make those decisions when pricing the flight up front. Give me the base price, and let me make those decisions later if I choose to.