FTC Warns Holiday Travel Bookers About Hidden Fees in November 3 Alert: Pre-Selected "Tip" and "VIP Support" Charges in the Hopper Case Sat Below the Booking Button
WASHINGTON — The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a consumer alert on November 3, "Booking holiday travel? Hidden fees can cost you," warning that some companies tack on extra charges for flights, hotels and other travel purchases that are hard to see or buried in the fine print.
The alert illustrates the practice with the FTC's case against the travel apps operated by Hopper, Inc. According to the FTC's complaint, when Hopper users were ready to confirm a booking they saw a screen listing the "total" price with a prominent "continue" button, suggesting that was the full price. On the next screen, above a prominent "Swipe to Book Flight" button, sat the itinerary details — while a pre-selected "Tip" charge and an additional charge for "VIP Support" had already been added to the total. Only customers who ignored the button and scrolled down could see those pre-selected charges, and, the FTC said, most consumers never did.
The alert lists three checks before paying: keep scrolling past the "Book," "Pay" or "Confirm" button to see the whole screen; review every checkbox and toggle and deselect anything not chosen; and compare the final total with the original price, finding out why it rose before completing the purchase. Consumers who spot a hidden fee or were charged for something they did not agree to can report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The alert does not state any amount or outcome for the Hopper case, and this report presents the matter as the FTC's allegations, not a court finding.
Source: Federal Trade Commission
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：客机尾翼与晚霞。（Wikimedia Commons，CC BY 3.0） / Photo: An airliner tail at sunset. (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0)
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