Open Allies for Airfare Transparency, a major travel industry coalition of agents, corporations and travel management firms, said Spirit Airline's recent advertisement objecting to the U.S. Department of Transportation's(DOT) rulemaking on baggage fee transparency 'mischaracterizes' the policy. The DOT's rule requiring baggage fee transparency takes effect this week
"Spirit Airlines and this seat-of-the-pants grassroots advertising campaign distorts the spirit of one of the most important actions to protect consumers undertaken by the Department of Transportation," said Open Allies Executive Director Art Sackler.
"This misleading ad campaign only underscores the need for DOT's initiatives to protect consumers by requiring full disclosure and enabling consumers to compare complete prices across competing airlines," Stackler said.
Spirit Airlines launched its campaign targeting consumers about the U.S. Department of Transportation’s latest fare rules this week warning that transparency means hidden tax increases.
"Suppressing air travel through higher taxes has direct and far-reaching negative implications for the nation’s economic health and the unemployment rate," Spirit said.
Spirit urged airline customers, governmental leaders and the travel industry concerned with the tax burden on travelers to join them in objecting. Spirit set up a web site for responses www.KeepMyFaresLow.org.
The Business Travel Coalition (BTC) also criticized Spirit Airlines position, supporting the new DOT rules.
Open Allies for Airfare Transparency has 380 members and argues that all airline fares and fees should be transparent to the traveling public.
Visit www.faretransparency.org.