Federal Government Cracking Down on Airline Prices [AUDIO]

That 99 dollar airline ticket to Florida may seem a little more expensive by the end of the month. That’s because the government is forcing airlines to include all government taxes and other fees when advertising fares.

“The full disclosure will not only allow travelers to make a well informed purchase decision but it’ll also prepare them for fees incurred while traveling,” said Maria Esposito, Retail Office Supervisor at Toms River Car Care Insurance and Travel. “Currently, when they buy a ticket, unfortunately, when they get to the counter and check in, they’re hit with various additional fees whether it’s for baggage, meal purchase or what have you.”

Currently, the fees are hidden behind asterisks or in footnotes and small print and can add 30 to 50 percent to a ticket price. “So, their inexpensive non-refundable ticket suddently escalates to 50 and 100 dollars more than they anticipated,” said Esposito.

Right now, passengers don’t usually see the full cost of a ticket until the very last steps in the booking process. In addition to providing transparency, the Transportation Department says the new rules will let consumers more easily compare prices between airlines.

“It can be tough enough for an educated consumer to predict the final price of an airline ticket,” said Esposito. “Infrequent or inexperienced travelers are likely to feel frustrated and angered when they buy a ticket that’s advertised at one price and then they suddenly see all these unexpected fees and taxes tacked on at the end.”

“Once the airlines know that the consumer will now have the ability to understand the total cost of their trip, the fees may come down,” she said.