WASHINGTON -- Several major carriers and IATA asked the
Transportation Department to dismiss two separate complaints filed
by United States Travel Agent Registry and ASTA that urged the
department to remedy what they argued was an airline industry
effort to propagate false fare information by excluding certain
surcharges on published air fares.
American, Continental, Delta, Northwest, United and IATA filed
the responses to a complaint made by Ustar in January that accused
several airlines of certain ticket abuses, including improperly
passing fuel costs onto consumers as surcharges.
In February, ASTA filed an addendum to the Ustar complaint that
went on to charge the airlines with excluding surcharges from [CRS]
fare displays in an attempt to lure the "consumer with fares lower
than actually available for purchase."
But IATA and the airlines denied that was true.
"CRS display issues ... are beyond the control of the airline
respondents and IATA," IATA said.
American argued, "Consumers do not see the CRS fare displays
used by professional travel agents, and thus they cannot be misled
or deceived by these displays."
American said "travel agents are professionals in the use of CRS
functionality, and they can easily use a variety of tools available
to them to determine quickly the lowest available total fare for a
given itinerary."
For its part, Continental indicated that consumers are not
confused by surcharges since they already have access to "full
price information" through such sources as the airline's Web
site.
"Itineraries entered into Continental's Web site are always
priced on the basis of the full price of air travel," Continental
said, adding that "Ustar's wanton allegation that Continental has
engaged in price-fixing and schemes to defraud passengers are
totally false."
Continental also denied a Ustar charge that it "conspired with
IATA or any other airline or engaged in any scheme to defraud
passengers of money to which Continental was not legally
entitled."
Delta, in its response, said, "What Ustar is seeking is
fundamental change in department rules and policy that would strip
carriers of their longstanding ability to separately account for
unusual, unique and often temporary factors affecting ticket
price."
"There is no sound reason in law or policy for the department to
mandate such changes through new regulation."
Northwest charged the Ustar and ASTA complaints contained
"sweeping and wholly unsubstantiated allegations of consumer
deception, fraud and anti-competitive conduct."
"Although they are very quick to make such serious charges,
neither Ustar nor ASTA provide any evidence that Northwest or any
other carrier has deceived a single consumer, harmed a single
competitor or acted contrary to a single law."