New ban on airline seating junk fees explained | 7 On Your Side
NEW YORK (WABC) -- A new ban on seating junk fees would require airlines to seat families with young children together or face penalties.
It is part of the crackdown on unfair pricing and junk fees the Biden-Harris administration has been targeting.
Many airlines don't guarantee family seating and instead, make you pay for seats together.
Mandating this fee-free family seating could save a family of four up to $200 on roundtrip tickets since seat selection is $25 each.
The new rule demands:
- Fee-free seating for families
- Requires adjacent seating within 48 hours of booking
- Mandates refunds and free rebooking if families
Some airlines have started complying voluntarily and others are expected to follow.
Alaska Air, American, Frontier, and JetBlue voluntarily banned the fees last year.
This is after the president called on Congress to ban family seating junk fees in his State of the Union address. The other big airlines are being urged to get on board with the ban.
They will need to:
- Require upfront disclosure of fees
- Impose per-child penalties
- Pay violations
The Department of Transportation wants carriers to disclose upfront online when customers call to inquire about seating or book a ticket that they will seat a young child next to their parents or an accompanying adult at no cost. That's so consumers are not misled and unnecessarily charged for adjacent seats.
It's all part of what they say are hidden fees which surprise the customer at the end of the booking process.
Speaking of hidden fees, there's a lawsuit now against one of the biggest ticket sellers, StubHub, being accused of jacking up prices of events.
Washington, DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb says millions of sports fans and concertgoers are being duped by a bait-and-switch pricing scheme at StubHub that hides the true cost of tickets until the very last second.
The lawsuit accuses StubHub of deploying pricing tactics that trick consumers into overpaying for tickets and are designed to boost profits.
The attorney general's office described how StubHub uses a countdown clock to create a false sense of urgency to ensure consumers are pressured into the purchase out of fear that they risk losing the tickets.
StubHub's lawyer said their company is committed to creating a transparent, secure, and competitive marketplace to benefit consumers saying their user experience is consistent with the law, and competitors' practices.
There is an option to put a filter on your search when buying a ticket on StubHub so you can see exactly what you're paying.
ALSO READ: Tips to reduce or eliminate credit card fees and save money
----------
SHARE YOUR STORY
Do you have an issue with a company that you haven't been able to resolve? If so, 7 On Your Side wants to help you!
Fill out the form below or email your questions, issues, or story ideas by filling out the form below or by emailing 7OnYourSideNina@abc.com. All emails MUST INCLUDE YOUR NAME AND CELLPHONE NUMBER. Without a phone number, 7 On Your Side will not be able to respond.
