Aer Lingus price ads called misleading - Gatwick Airport News

Airport news for Gatwick on 19/02/2009.

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The Advertising Standards Agency (ASA) has reported receiving complaints from consumers about the Aer Lingus advertisement, which was still featured on the airline’s UK website on Wednesday.

Although there are one-way flights on some of the carrier’s routes available for £9.99, the number is limited. A more common search result is a price of £148.70 for a flight from Gatwick to Nice.

There is also a £4 "handling fee" that is levied on the £9.99 price that consumers are not made aware of in the advertisement. This charge makes even the cheapest fare increase to £13.99.

Consumer that have complained say that Aer Lingus should be required to clarify in its advertisement whether the price is one-way or return, and that it should indicate that the price is “from £9.99” to comply with regulations. Others also complained that the handling fee was not disclosed in the advertisement.

“We have really brought operators into line on these sort of issues, so complaints regarding airline have become quite a rarity,” an ASA spokesperson said.

The Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP), an ASA sister organization, has regulations which read: “If not all flights are available at the quoted fare, marketing communications should state prominently that prices are 'from…'"

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