NCL Urges DOT Investigate Airline Pricing
Media Contact: Lisa McDonald, Vice President of Communications, 202-207-2829
Washington, DC – In the wake of JetBlue Airways’ apparent admission of surveillance pricing to determine airfares, NCL and six other public interest organizations are urging the U.S. Department of Transportation to investigate the industry’s pricing practices. Airlines have long used confusing pricing algorithms that make the ticket-buying experience frustrating for travelers. Every major airline has made news in the past two years for their dynamic pricing practices, including rollouts of AI-set prices in 2025 and allegations of price gouging targeting travelers escaping Hurricane Milton in 2024.
“Budgeting for airline tickets shouldn’t be a guessing game,” said NCL Vice President of Public Policy, Telecommunications, and Fraud John Breyault. “There is too much confusion around what consumer data these companies use to set their prices and what we can do about it. It is time for DOT to step up and get to the bottom of this.”
After a consumer complained that the price of a JetBlue plane ticket to attend a funeral unexpectedly jumped $230, the carrier suggested tips to reduce the amount of data the business collects from its consumers. JetBlue later deleted its response, claiming that a representative misspoke. This was the latest in years of contradictory and unclear statements from airlines regarding what data they do and do not use to set airfares. DOT has authority to investigate airline pricing practices and to intervene to prevent consumer harm.
In addition to the National Consumers League, the Center for Digital Democracy, Consumer Action, the Consumer Federation of America, the Electronic Privacy Information Center, FlyersRights, and U.S. PIRG joined the letter. The full letter to DOT can be found here.
Additional reading:
- NCL Urges Conditions on Any Spirit Bailout
- Consumer Advocates Support Federal Review of Air Industry’s Data Collection Practices
- NCL Statement on Court Siding with Airlines Against Price Transparency
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About the National Consumers League (NCL)
The National Consumers League, founded in 1899, is America’s pioneer consumer organization. Our mission is to protect and promote social and economic justice for consumers and workers in the United States and abroad. For more information, visit www.nclnet.org.
