Proposes rule allowing airlines to advertise lower base fares

A U.S. Department of Transportation proposal would loosen federal airline airfare advertising rules to allow more prominent display of lower base fares. Under the draft change to the “Full Fare Rule” introduced in 2012, airlines could show individual fare components such as the base price and taxes with the same prominence, while still requiring disclosure of the total ticket cost including mandatory government taxes, fees, and carrier charges. The DOT also seeks comment on an alternative that would repeal the rule entirely, which could let airlines advertise only the base fare excluding taxes and mandatory fees if other disclosure requirements are met. The proposal begins a public comment period for 30 days after publication in the Federal Register and would be the most significant overhaul in more than a decade.