Under President Obama, the U.S. Department of Transportation was in the process of adopting a rule that would have required that airlines disclose the cost to check bags when travelers compare prices online.

But under President Trump, that rule proposal has been withdrawn, sparking protest from the attorney generals for 16 states.

Pennsylvania Atty. Gen. Josh Shapiro and the attorney generals for California, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Maine and 10 others signed a letter to Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, urging her to not pull the plug on the rule.

The rule was designed to make it easier for travelers to compare air travel costs. Many airlines make it difficult to calculate the entire cost of a flight because fees and surcharges are not added into the fare until it has been booked.


Some low-cost carriers, such as Spirit Airlines, generate up to 40% of their revenues from fees and charges.

“As airlines increasingly charge separate fees for basic services rather than building them into the cost of their tickets, transparency in pricing is more important than ever,” the letter says.

A representative for the agency could not be reached for comment. The department under Trump has been seeking to lessen the regulatory burdens on companies.

hugo.martin@latimes.com


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