WASHINGTON -- Six airlines asked the Transportation Department to
dismiss an ASTA complaint that accused the carriers of misleading
consumers by not including fuel surcharges in the fares on some CRS
displays.
ASTA filed the complaint in February, amending an earlier brief
in which it argued the airline commission cuts are part of a
systematic plan by the carriers to force agents out of business so
that they can control the distribution of airline tickets and limit
the public's access to unbiased fare information.
The Society also sent a letter to the DOT asking it to
investigate the airlines for not including the fuel surcharge in
CRS fare displays.
In their separate responses, American, American Trans Air,
Continental, Midwest Express, United and US Airways all said the
ASTA complaint should be dismissed because fare displays on CRSs
are beyond their control. United, in its response, seemed
particularly exasperated by the ASTA charges.
The complaint, United said, was "the third time in the last six
months that the Society has accused United and other carriers of
unfair or deceptive practices."
United said that although it "understands that travel agents are
deeply concerned about changes in the airline commission policies
and distribution practices ... [that does not] justify ASTA's
repeated efforts to assuage its members' concerns by filing
unfounded complaints against United's (and other carriers')
legitimate business practices."
United said it "bears no responsibility for the CRS fare
displays that are at the root of ASTA's claims; [therefore] the
complaint fails as a matter of fact and law."
The other airlines followed the same argument in their
responses. US Airways said the carriers were within their rights
because the DOT permits airlines to impose surcharges "so long as
the total price ... is disclosed before a fare is booked or in a
fare advertisement."
US Airways added, "Limitations in CRS architecture and
functionality do not always make it possible for a CRS to display
on an initial screen all possible charges and conditions that apply
to various fares."
Like US Airways and United, Midwest said it "cannot and does not
'dictate' to CRS vendors the format or content of their reservation
systems."
For its part, American said ASTA's contention that it is
misleading agents and consumers by not including fuel surcharges on
Fare Shop CRS screens, which list fares for all carriers, and Fare
Quote, a list of fares for a single carrier, "lacks merit."
American said such fare displays on the CRS typically "do not
show the total fare ... because applicable taxes, fees and
surcharges vary by airport or itinerary."
Furthermore, American said travel agents are professionals at
using CRSs, which consumers generally do not see.
American said, "Agents know that the primary fare displays in
CRSs do not contain all relevant information."
Consequently, Continental said, "ASTA's complaint should have
taken the form of a complaint to CRS vendors, not a complaint
against Continental and other participating carriers that have no
influence over the displays on CRSs."