EU plans to compel airlines to make fare details clearer

The advertising of low airfares where the extra costs are hidden in the small print will no longer be allowed under plans published by the European Commission yesterday.

Transport commissioner Jacques Barrot is to tackle misleading advertisements where it is claimed that a flight will cost as little as €1 with substantial costs in taxes and other fees only becoming clear once the consumer begins the buying process.

Instead, Mr Barrot wants to establish rules that guarantee price transparency so consumers can easily compare ticket prices across a range of airline companies.

"Airfares should be understood inclusive of all applicable taxes, charges and fees, and airlines need to give comprehensive information on their fares and the conditions attached to the public," the leaked draft proposals said.

At the moment, customers can be faced with airport and luggage taxes that vary between airlines and are not immediately apparent.

Ryanair said the move would show how low its fares were in relation to its competitors.

"Ryanair welcomes any moves to make airfares more transparent. Ryanair already provides passengers with a full breakdown of fares, taxes and charges before any passenger makes a booking," a spokesperson for the company said.

Such rules would "highlight the enormous difference between Ryanair's low fares and the high fares of competitors", he added.

However, the plans are likely to be criticised in some quarters because the commission will be seen to be trying to regulate an industry that has proved itself to be the model of EU competitiveness, with airlines regularly engaging in pricing wars.

One leading German newspaper suggested in an editorial that the commission was going too far and nannying EU citizens who were well able to read what was written in the small print and work out what the end cost of a ticket would be.

This is not the first step the commission has taken in trying to turn itself into the friend of the EU consumer. Last week it announced it would tackle mobile phone roaming charges.