Airlines Forced to Advertise Prices with Taxes Included

New rules would prevent so-called "sticker shock" for air travellers.

If you're like us, you've been lured in by sales advertising bargain-basement prices for flights to Europe, South America, and beyond, only to find out that that $200 return flight to London is really $800 after taxes. Such is life in one of the most heavily taxed air travel jurisdictions on the planet, but soon, thanks to new federal government regulations, all airline advertisements will have to show the entire price of a flight, taxes included. There's a veritable litany of surcharges and fees added on top of what you actually pay for the ticket – fuel surcharges, airport landing fees, Nav Canada fees, charges for security on the airplane, not to mention HST. As such, the consumer-friendly Harper government has amended the Canada Transportation Act so as to force airlines to advertise the full prices. The move is expected to take effect before Christmas... of next year.