JetBlue fined $50K for deceptive ads

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- The U.S. Department of Transportation said Tuesday it has fined JetBlue Airways $50,000 for violating rules forbidding deceptive price advertising.

The department said the carrier violated federal aviation laws and department rules.

"When passengers shop for an airline ticket, they have a right to know the full price they will have to pay," Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said in a news release.

The department's Aviation Enforcement Office found this year JetBlue's ads on several Web sites didn't provide information on additional taxes and fees. Clicking on the ads took consumers to a page with routes and prices and a statement that taxes and fees would be added -- but consumers had to scroll to the bottom of the page or click a link next to each listed fare to see fine-print listings of additional taxes and fees, the department said in a news release.

JetBlue's Web site violated department rules requiring that advertising include the full price, including all carrier-imposed fees, the department said.

Government-imposed taxes and fees, such as passenger-facility charges, may be stated separately but must be "clearly disclosed in the advertisement so that passengers can easily determine the full price they must pay," the news release said.

In Internet ads, the government-imposed taxes and fees may be included in a "prominent" link next to the fare that leads directly to the specific amounts.

Beginning Jan. 24, 2012, the department said, carriers will be required to include government taxes and fees in every advertised fare.