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The proposed rule follows additional efforts from the U . S . Department of Transportation ( USDOT ) and the Federal Trade Commission , both of which recently proposed legislation to enhance the transparency behind airline , hotel and resort fees deemed as unfair or deceptive .
THE INDUSTRY RESPONDS The response to the proposal to ban junk fees has been largely positive among travelers and travel pros alike . The American Society of Travel Advisors ( ASTA ) is fully on board with the suggested changes as the organization is a longtime supporter of efforts to increase transparency in travel pricing . “ We believe hidden hotel resort fees violate this principle of transparency , and that public sentiment is with us on this issue ,” said Eben Peck , executive vice president of advocacy for ASTA . “ As such , we support any initiatives to ensure that consumers are shown the full pre-tax price of a hotel room while searching and comparing lodging options for their next trip .”
In the weeks following Biden ’ s address , the travel industry took swift action to implement new policies surrounding junk fees . Many of the big changes have taken place in the skies where several airlines made it easier for parents to sit with children under the age of 13 at no additional cost , something that wasn ’ t always possible just a few months ago . Additionally , in early March , the USDOT unveiled its family seating dashboard , a tool designed to make it easier for families to understand which airlines offer “ fee-free ” family seating and which ones don ’ t .
On the hospitality front , the American Hotel & Lodging Association ( AHLA ) was among the first to voice its concern on how the removal of junk fees could impact the hotel industry as “ bed taxes ” account for a huge source of revenue . AHLA also noted that only six percent of U . S . hotels charge travelers a mandatory resort , destination or amenity fee which typically averages around $ 26 a night . AHLA is working to determine the best course of action moving forward to ensure that any additional fees don ’ t come as a shock to travelers while booking their next hotel stay .
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