What is it about?

Airline passengers, consumer advocates and travel companies from across the United States few weeks ago launched “This is Your Passenger Speaking” campaign, a new nationwide grassroots campaign demanding an end to hidden fees in airline travel.

This campaign, which already counts the support of more than 60,000 consumers who have spoken out against hidden fees, is calling on the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to establish consumer protections ensuring travelers can see and compare the total cost of their air travel, and buy all essential parts of their air travel experience, wherever they purchase airfare.

According to said David Kelly, spokesman for the campaign “For far too long, airlines have been hiding fees from millions of travelers for things like baggage, seat assignments and boarding. Passengers from once-a-year vacation goers to frequent business flyers have had enough of hidden fees.”

While DOT has taken important steps towards addressing fee transparency, most notably issuing a 2011 rule requiring airlines to disclose fees on their own websites, much more can and should be done. The current rule does not sufficiently protect consumers from hidden and unexpected fees, and does not protect consumers’ ability to effectively comparison shop for airfares.

This Is Your Passenger Speaking is hosting an electronic petition on their website, www.passengerspeaking.com[url][/url] as well as other action steps people can take to support the campaign’s efforts. Another great achievement for the campaign was the recent nod given by The Association for Airline Passenger Rights, (AAPR) when it announced its endorsement.

"The Association for Airline Passenger Rights is committed to improving price transparency within the airline industry, and ending the practice of hidden fees for checked baggage, seats, boarding options and other ancillary services," said Brandon M. Macsata, Executive Director of the Association for Airline Passenger Rights. "To that end, we have publically endorsed this campaign because it represents a unique opportunity for individual passengers, business groups, travel agents and all aviation stakeholders to unite behind greater transparency."

Lesson for Nigerian Travelers

Nigerian air travelers have in the past been clamouring for better service(s) from both domestic and international airlines operation in the country. The most prominent of them, which also doubles as the one that has received the most attention from relevant authorities is the issue of fare disparity by foreign airline operating in the country.

This problem once again came to the front burner few months ago as Nigerians who travelled recently on these foreign airlines complained bitterly about paying higher fares than their fellow passengers from Ghana, for instance, on the same flight.

Investigation revealed that as at April 19th, 2013, passengers travelling on First Class of British Airways from Abuja, Nigeria, to London, Heathrow Airport pay 9,548.25 US Dollars, while another passenger travelling from Ghana on the same First Class, same plane to London Heathrow Airport will pay 4,970.55 US Dollars. Similarly, passenger on Business Class on the same British Airways from Abuja, Nigeria, to London Heathrow pays 4,708.80, US Dollars while another passenger from Ghana on the same Business Class, will pay 2,920.55 US Dollars.

It will be recalled that Nigeria Government, through the Aviation Ministry, had on March 25, 2012, issued the offending airlines a 30-day ultimatum to address this disparity or face been ban from operating in Nigeria. The ultimatum expired and after Senate Committee on Aviation public sitting on the issue, the airlines still stuck to the offensive fares.

We, as well as many Nigerians know the lackadaisical attitudes of our leaders and all those at the helms of affairs, when it comes to addressing issues of consumer rights and foreign organisations.

As a result of this, we would only encourage Nigerian travelers to take a cue from the “This is Your Passenger Speaking” campaign by US travellers and begin to take matters into their hands when it comes to issues that affect them directly, at least y’all know what the alternative is.

http://flynaija.org/this-is-your-passenger-speaking-campaign-lesson-for-nigerian-travelers/