Editor’s note: This is part nine in a series about the transit system Department’s sweeping new airline rider protection rules. Please take a moment to read and comment on these proposed regulation at Regulationroom.org. The future of air travel depends on it.

Here’s a new government regulation that might surprise you: [I]t would prohibit post-purchase footing increases in air transportation or air tours by bearer and ticket agents.

If you said, “They can do that”? then you’re not alone. That was my initial reaction.

But yes, they can.

It’s allowed under federal law — specifically, fourteen CFR 253.7, which states,

A passenger shall not be boundary by any footing restricting refund of the ticket price, imposing monetary penalty on passengers, or permitting the carrier to salary increase the price, unless the passenger receives conspicuous written notice of the salient feature of those footing on or with the ticket.

And that loophole has LED to problems, according to the transit system Department.

The Department has found that some Sellers of air transportation are abusing this. regulation by burying provender purporting to license them to salary increase the terms in the contract of carriage or conditions of travelling and merely providing the consumer a hyperlink to the contract of carriage or conditions of traveling The consumer is unaware of the potentiality for such increase until well after the purchase is made.

Unbelievable.

What’s the solution?

The government is proposing a new rule that would forbid post-purchase terms increases of this nature The marketer of air transportation would be prohibited from raising the terms after the consumer completes the purchase, according to the section Considering many travelling purchases are made long? in advance, with the implied promise that the terms is “final,” the dot think this regulation is long overdue.

[I]t is patently unfair for a carrier or tour operator to advertise and sell air transportation at a particular terms long before travel, with the caveat that they reserve the right to change the advertised terms at any time before travel, and in any amount The Department feel it is time to ban the practice of post-purchase terms increases.

To which I say: What took you so long?

I mean, seriously. I can’t believe you’re even debating this?

No, they’re serious. And, if you can believe, information technology they’re even considering the following “alternatives” as possible rules.

One option the Department is considering would be to allow post-purchase terms increases, but only as long as the seller of air transportation conspicuously discloses to the consumer the potentiality for such an increase and the maximum amount of the increase, and the consumer affirmatively agrees to the potency for such an increase prior to purchasing the ticket.

Another option would be to allow post-purchase terms increases, with full and adequate disclosure, that the consumer agrees to in progression of purchasing a ticket but to prohibit terms increases within thirty or sixty days of the first flight in a consumer’s itinerary.

Bad ideas, both.

The regulatory analysis agrees that it’s time to ballad down the law on this. A Feb reassessment of air hose sites indicated that all reported addition in checked baggage fee were accompanied by effective day of the month for the change specified in terms of when ticket were purchased. However,

It is possible that the electric current dot counselling may not continue to be effective for enforcing the current prohibition on post-purchase terms increases. Codifying this policy would also reduce the amount of resource and attempt required for the Department to determine if entity are complying with its provisions.

This proposed rule, while necessary, may have unintended consequences. If applied to Tours that include a sail component, it would stop sail lines from retroactively adding fuel surcharges if energy prices rise. I would say that’s a good unintended result for consumers.

Is it request too much for a company to honour a price? I don’t think so.