Say goodbye to hidden airline fees

The gratification of finding the cheapest airline tickets for your yearly travels seems to be a rewarding ordeal. However, when hidden fees creep up behind you, the cheaper, eye-catching price isn’t what you end up paying.

As the fees come marching in, sometimes you feel that the past five hours you spent price hunting on travel websites were a waste. The price often climbs to an unsightly number and turns the dent in your wallet into the Grand Canyon.

The worst part is, most of the time, you don’t even know what you’re being charged for!

Luckily, the Department of Transportation (DOT) recently issued a new set of rules that will eliminate hidden fees from your purchase. Effective in 120 days, the the rules will require airlines to disclose all additional fees on their websites. The DOT’s action to push airline transparency helps lessen a traveler’s stress over the expensive endeavor. Now that we know where our money is being invested, we can sleep little better on the plane using the pillows and blankets that our fees covered.

In addition to hidden fees, the DOT also notices when other airline practices go awry. Airlines must refund the baggage fee if a customer’s baggage is lost, damaged, or delayed. Moreover, the new rules will increase the compensation amount a person will receive if their flight is bumped or delayed.

Michelle Moore is an intern at Mom Central.

Mom Central