Dear Editor:
I read your article in the Dec. 23 edition of the North Shore News (Airline Fare Advertising Rules to Change in 2012). Unfortunately the Canadian media are missing a much bigger issue when it comes to fare pricing.
It is a lot more expensive for Canadians when flying internationally from Vancouver to London than London to Vancouver (a rule that probably holds true for all international destinations). Early in the year, my sister, who lives in the U.K., booked a return flight from London to Vancouver on British Airways for a May-June vacation. All in, the cost worked out to approximately $800. I went online the same day she booked and checked a flight on the same days between the same airports on the same airline in the reverse direction and - surprise! - the total cost was $1,800. It begs the question: Who is subsidizing whom?
I ran into the same situation myself when I booked a return flight from Vancouver to London on Air Transat for a vacation in September-October. It cost me $350 for the flight plus $510 in fees and taxes for a total of $810. That same day, the equivalent flight tin the opposite direction would have cost a total of $480, fees and taxes included.
Who got the extra money? And once again who is subsidizing whom? What are the Canadian travel industry and federal government doing to get Canadians a fair deal?
When I asked Air Transat about the difference in pricing via an email survey, they responded that they charge what the market will bear, which makes a mockery of the fees, as the taxes are the same.
What authority gave the airlines permission to levy a fuel surcharge without including it in the price? What base price was the surcharge based on?
This will remain one big joke until someone in authority starts asking the right questions. It will not get any better for Canadians by just quoting the total cost of the fare.
David Knee North Vancouver
