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ISSUES WE’RE WORKING ON

Increasing Air Competition

U.S. Travelers want: more flights, lower fares

Any economist will tell you that more competition leads to lower prices. But in the U.S., airline competition has decreased dramatically. In fact, while there were 11 major U.S. carriers in 2006, today there are only 4. That has led to fewer options, fewer flights and higher costs. Now many are trying to shut-out regional and international carriers from U.S. airports.

Ending Resort Fees

U.S. Travelers want: clear, transparent hotel pricing

Hotels are finding new ways to charge you more, including mandatory “resort fees” that are hidden when searching for room rates. These resort fees are supposedly there to cover basic conveniences like newspapers, coffee and access to the gym or pool… things you are led to believe come with staying at a nice hotel. But the reality is they often surprise you at the last minute with this nightly “fee,” instead of including it in the advertised room price.

HELPFUL TIP! Learn if your next vacation is going to be impacted at ResortFeeChecker.com

Protecting Ride Sharing

U.S. Travelers want: an open market for safe, affordable transportation choices

Innovative companies, including Uber and Lyft, are being shut down by taxi commissions and overzealous politicians who are defending the status quo. There is no reason that consumers shouldn’t be allowed more options in how they get from point A to point B. Technology that lowers costs and decreases hassles should be embraced, not banned — especially when it is helping to usher in a new era of personal entrepreneurship.

Limiting Airline Fees

U.S. Travelers want: no surprise charges for basic services

Bags. Drinks. Snacks. Better seats. Internet. Changing flights. Blankets. Talking to an agent. Calling in. Even using the bathroom. If it involves anything but sitting down and shutting up, airlines are trying to find a way to charge you for it. Many use deceptively low fares to lure consumers in, and then hit you with one fee after another.

Protecting Short-Term Rentals

U.S. Travelers want: freedom to choose safe, affordable lodging options

The ability for consumers to rent homes has given travelers and homeowners alike great new options, while generating new tourism and tax dollars for local communities. Services like Airbnb, HomeAway, and FlipKey are creating new vacation opportunities for travelers and business opportunities for homeowners. While safeguards must be put in place to ensure everyone’s safety, too many communities and states are imposting onerous and unpredictable regulations that shut down access to hotel alternatives.

Ending New Travel Taxes

U.S. Travelers want: access to affordable travel booking options

New travel and tourism taxes will make travel more expensive and harm the travel and tourism economy. Some state legislatures have considered increasing hotel taxes on travelers by taxing consumers when they use travel agents, both online and in the community, to book travel. According to the GBTA Foundation taxes levied specifically on travel-related services increased the total tax bill for a traveler by 58% in 2013.

Stopping Car Rental Taxes

U.S. Travelers want: states to stop piling on new taxes

States looking to balance their budgets have often done it on the backs of travelers, adding discriminatory taxes onto car rentals. Added in with airport facility fees, frequent flier recovery fees and other add-on charges, these taxes are dramatically increasing the price of a renting a car to get around while on vacation.

Eliminating Airport Delays and Hassles

U.S. Travelers want: improved ground and air traffic control operations

From long TSA lines to gate and tarmac delays, every step of air travel these days seems to be riddled with slow downs and inefficiencies. It’s time to modernize the airport experience from start to finish, including using GPS tracking of planes and improving the TSA security screening process.[/vc_column_text][vc_empty_space height=”32px” image_repeat=”no-repeat”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row row_type=”row” use_row_as_full_screen_section=”no” type=”full_width” header_style=”” parallax_content_width=”in_grid” anchor=”” in_content_menu=”” content_menu_title=”” content_menu_icon=”” angled_section=”no” angled_section_position=”both” angled_section_direction=”from_left_to_right” text_align=”left” video=”” video_overlay=”” video_overlay_image=”” video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_image=”” background_image=”” background_image_as_pattern=”without_pattern” section_height=”” parallax_speed=”” background_color=”” border_color=”” row_negative_margin=”” side_padding=”” parallax_side_padding=”” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” color=”” hover_color=”” more_button_label=”” less_button_label=”” button_position=”” css_animation=”” transition_delay=””][vc_column width=”1/1″]