OFT monitors hidden airline charges

The Office of Fair Trading says it’s not happy about hidden airline charges, but there is little it can do about them.

In the House of Keys today, OFT chairman Bill Henderson faced questions from Rushen MHK Juan Watterson about the issue.

Mr Watterson was particularly concerned about price differences when booking over the phone and on the internet.

Mr Henderson (pictured) said the OFT was keeping an eye on the situation but at the moment the airlines were doing nothing wrong.

He told the House:

"The charges are legal, as long as they are made clear in advance of being incurred.

"The Isle of Man Office of Fair Trading is aware of, and is monitoring, developments in the European Union concerning the transparency of charges made by airlines that do not appear in headline prices."