Tuesday, August 23, 2011

New airline regulations effective on Tuesday, will give the nation's air travelers more information about what's going on with their ticket purchases.

The FAA wants to provide Americans with more knowledge about the costs of flying, and not just the ticket price--but all of the other charges that can be racked up when traveling by air.

A traveler's headache can be getting to the airport thinking you've paid for your ticket, only to find out you've got hundreds of dollars in other charges you weren't aware of. The new FAA regulations are designed to help make things more transparent for the flying public.

Even some frequent business travelers say they get surprised by charges they weren't expecting. "Travel is expensive," Wendy Haas, a Wichita Mid-Continent traveler, said. "When I got there I found out my bag was a little heavy and that I'd have to pay $50 extra," Haas said of a recent flight to another city. The new regulations should help take some of the costly surprises out of flying.

Sunflower Travel president Devin Hansen said more information will allow consumers to make a better choice. "Ultimately, it will be good because you will know what the final price is and that way you can comparison shop," Devin Hansen, Sunflower Travel president, said. In other words comparing apples to apples is the only way passengers can know if they're getting the best price on a ticket.

And, anything that can make flying a little friendlier for the passengers has got to be a good thing.