Volaris, Mexican airline, fined for failing to disclose baggage fees

The US Department of Transportation fined Mexican discount airline Volaris $130,000 today for failing to clearly disclose baggage fees on its website, the Wall Street Journal reported.

The airline is the first to be penalized under a new Dept. of Transportation regulation designed to protect air travelers from hidden costs, the Los Angeles Times reported.

According to the LA Times:

Under the federal rule, carriers must "clearly and prominently disclose" on the first online screen that offers a fare for a specific flight that additional fees for baggage may apply, as well a link to view the baggage fees.

The Dept. of Transportation said that, for some time, Volaris' website didn't show this information as required, the Wall Street Journal reported. (Volaris has since updated its site, the LA Times reported.)

The rule applies to foreign airlines as well as American carriers selling air travel in the United States, the LA Times reported.

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Volaris flies to eight US cities, mostly in California, in addition to its domestic routes in Mexico, the Wall Street Journal reported.

"We adopted our rule on baggage fees to make sure that consumers have complete and accurate information about how much they will have to pay when they book a flight," US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a statement, the Wall Street Journal reported. "We will continue to take enforcement action when carriers fail to comply with our rules."

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