New legislation from U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-NJ) would force airlines and online ticket sellers to stick to the current rules when presenting their airfare costs to customers.

New Jersey U.S. Senator Robert Menendez
New Jersey U.S. Senator Robert Menendez announces his "Real Transparency in Airfares Act" at Newark Liberty International Airport. (Townsquare Media)
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Under the “Real Transparency in Airfares Act,” the full fare, including all taxes, would be the first cost a customer sees when searching for flights.

The act shoots down a bill that’s currently in the House of Representatives, which allows airlines and ticket sellers to break out taxes from the base airfare and not present the total price of a trip until later in the purchasing process.

“The bill is a bad deal for the consumers,” Menendez said of the House measure. “It makes airfare less transparent.”

His measure would also double the penalty for violators of the full-fare advertising rule, from a maximum of $27,500 per day to a maximum of $55,000 per day.

“These tougher penalties will make unscrupulous ticket sellers think twice before they try to pull a fast one on their customers,” Menendez said.

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