President Biden Announces Rule Requiring Airlines to Disclose Hidden Fees — What That Means for Travelers

Jamie Aranoff
·2 min read
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The proposal will go to final approval in late November.

<p>KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images</p>

KAMIL KRZACZYNSKI/AFP via Getty Images

In the Biden administration's latest effort to increase transparency for customers, the president announced Monday that he's proposing a new rule requiring airlines to disclose fees to passengers booking a flight.

According to the proposal, airlines must be transparent when it comes to fees for things like changed or canceled flights or if booking seats together for a group or a family would cost more, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT).

"You can pick that ticket that's actually the best deal for you," Biden said during a press conference.

The proposal will go through a 60-day comment period before final approval, comments can be submitted online through a government portal.

Under the proposal, all U.S. airlines, international airlines, and third-party travel search engines will be required to show all associated fees with different tickets. Due to the fluctuation of fees for different seats, the DOT is also planning to “allow travelers with young children to purchase seats with fares at all points of sale.”

The proposal is in addition to the DOT's July notice to airlines to stop charging families to fly together.

“Airline passengers deserve to know the full, true cost of their flights before they buy a ticket,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement regarding Monday's proposal. “This new proposed rule would require airlines to be transparent with customers about the fees they charge, which will help travelers make informed decisions and save money.”

Earlier this month, the DOT launched an online dashboard for travelers as an official guide to what passengers are entitled to base on their airlines. The dashboard includes the 10 major U.S. airlines and shows how each will respond to travel woes such as rebooking passengers after a canceled or delayed flight and if complimentary hotel accommodation would be provided.