The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) fined three ticket agents for violating the Department’s rules on disclosure of code-share flights. DOT’s Aviation Enforcement Office made telephone calls to a number of agents during January and February of 2013 and inquired about booking certain flights. During these calls, the reservations agents for all three companies failed to disclose that the flights were being operated under code-share arrangements. The agents identified only the name of the marketing airline and not the corporate name of the airline operating the flight or any other name under which the flight was marketed. This violated DOT rules requiring airlines and ticket agents to inform consumers if a flight is operated under a code-share arrangement, as well as disclose the corporate name of the transporting airline and any other name under which the flight is offered to the public.DOT issued a USD 100,000 fine against Liberty Travel and USD 40,000 fines against both STA Travel and AAA Mid-Atlantic, and all three companies were ordered to cease and desist from further violations.Source: press release DOT 73-13 of Aug. 29, 2013The consent orders are available at www.regulations.gov, docket DOT-OST-2013-0004.
