Today, the Air Transport Users Council highlighted consumers’ dislike of airlines trying to con them with low fares that do not exist by offering a low fare up front only to add a host of spurious taxes and charges later on in the booking process. In response to this announcement, easyjet has disclosed the fact that it plans to introduce all inclusive pricing early this summer, to ensure consumers are presented with the true cost.easyJet claims that it has been advocating an industry move to all inclusive pricing for some time. For too long, some airlines have used the “taxes and charges” element of the fare as a dumping ground for all sorts of charges - from fuel surcharges to wheelchair levies. High-cost airlines in particular have externalised large proportions of their fares to mislead consumers into believing that they offer fares low enough to compete with airlines such as easyJet, which is simply not the case.

All inclusive pricing has been in practice in advertising for years and with this latest innovation easyJet is starting the trend online. As is typical in the airline industry where easyJet leads all other airlines are expected to follow.

Ray Webster, Chief Executive, said: “Consumers cannot be fooled by misleading upfront fares. In fact, they base their decision to buy depending upon the final price they see. It’s time the consumer was given credit by other airlines and presented with an honest total fare upfront to make the decision making process quicker and easier. Again easyJet will be the market leader in changing the airline industry to be more focused on the customers needs whilst maintaining our famously low (and all-inclusive) fares.

In a separate announcement released earlier today, Eurostar criticised airline pricing dishonesty. Paul Charles, Director of Communications, Eurostar, commented: “Why are some airlines hiding behind this dishonest pricing? Consumers want to know, when they are booking, that the price they see upfront is the price they will finally pay. Eurostar includes all taxes, fees and charges upfront as we have nothing to hide.”

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Paul Charles added: “All of our advertising includes the full price. We don’t try to pull the wool over customers’ eyes by only advertising a price before taxes and charges are added.”

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