I'm not sure quite what all the fuss is about. As some have already mentioned, you could always see the full fare including taxes and fees before purchasing, because the full breakout of costs and the final total would always appear when you selected a flight, well before actually making your reservation and paying for it. And the base fare displayed clearly stated that it did not include taxes and fees, so it's not like anyone was trying to hide anything.
I also think some people are reacting as if this is a rule that is aimed at Southwest only, whereas it is a rule that applies to all airlines. It's not as if Southwest was somehow doing something wrong and had to be made to follow the rules. This is a NEW rule that applies to everyone, and Southwest is simply explaining how it will affect what we see on their site when we seek to purchase tickets.
I'm kind of curious to know if this only applies to airlines or if it will also apply to hotels and rental car companies, who also typically market their base fees before any taxes and surcharges are applied. And when we purchase an item in a retail store, or a meal in a restaurant, or any other taxable service or item, does the tax now have to be included in the sticker price, or will it still be added on at time of actual purchase? I'm not sure how the previous way of advertising airfares differs from any of the above or who decided it was a problem in the first place.
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