Airfares aren’t exactly transparent. You’ll see an advertised fare, and then the taxes and fees get added in, and your fare has gone up by twenty to forty dollars, or more if you’re traveling abroad. It feels dirty, like dealing with a car dealership that keeps tallying extra expenses. Consider charges like the TSA security fee the aviation equivalent of floor mats and rustproofing.

But things could have been even worse. Earlier this year, the Department of Transportation considered relaxing the rules, making it easier for airlines in the United States to act like Ryanair and the other discount carriers in Europe. Your ticket costs 1 cent! ($100 surcharge may apply.) No thanks.

So we can breathe a sigh of relief: The status quo rules the day. Your airfares will be just as confusing as they were before. No more, no less. Victory is ours.

Ads must link surcharge to air fare [Detroit Free Press]

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