[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 4156 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 4156

  To amend title 49, United States Code, to allow advertisements and 
   solicitations for passenger air transportation to state the base 
         airfare of the transportation, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 6, 2014

   Mr. Shuster (for himself, Mr. DeFazio, Mr. Graves of Georgia, Mr. 
  Rahall, Mr. LoBiondo, and Mr. Larsen of Washington) introduced the 
 following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Transportation 
                           and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
  To amend title 49, United States Code, to allow advertisements and 
   solicitations for passenger air transportation to state the base 
         airfare of the transportation, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Transparent Airfares Act of 2014''.

SEC. 2. ADVERTISEMENTS AND SOLICITATIONS FOR PASSENGER AIR 
              TRANSPORTATION.

    (a) Full Fare Advertising.--Section 41712 of title 49, United 
States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following:
    ``(d) Full Fare Advertising.--
            ``(1) In general.--It shall not be an unfair or deceptive 
        practice under subsection (a) for a covered entity to state in 
        an advertisement or solicitation for passenger air 
        transportation the base airfare for the air transportation if 
        the covered entity clearly and separately discloses--
                    ``(A) the government-imposed taxes and fees 
                associated with the air transportation; and
                    ``(B) the total cost of the air transportation.
            ``(2) Form of disclosure.--
                    ``(A) In general.--For purposes of paragraph (1), 
                the information described in paragraphs (1)(A) and 
                (1)(B) shall be disclosed in the advertisement or 
                solicitation in a manner that clearly presents the 
                information to the consumer.
                    ``(B) Internet advertisements and solicitations.--
                For purposes of paragraph (1), with respect to an 
                advertisement or solicitation for passenger air 
                transportation that appears on an Internet Web site, 
                the information described in paragraphs (1)(A) and 
                (1)(B) may be disclosed through a link or pop-up, as 
                such terms may be defined by the Secretary, that 
                displays the information in a manner that is easily 
                accessible and viewable by the consumer.
            ``(3) Definitions.--In this subsection, the following 
        definitions apply:
                    ``(A) Base airfare.--The term `base airfare' means 
                the cost of passenger air transportation, excluding 
                government-imposed taxes and fees.
                    ``(B) Covered entity.--The term `covered entity' 
                means an air carrier, including an indirect air 
                carrier, foreign carrier, ticket agent, or other person 
                offering to sell tickets for passenger air 
                transportation or a tour or tour component that must be 
                purchased with air transportation.''.
    (b) Limitation on Statutory Construction.--Nothing in the amendment 
made by subsection (a) may be construed to affect any obligation of a 
person that sells air transportation to disclose the total cost of the 
air transportation, including government-imposed taxes and fees, prior 
to purchase of the air transportation.
    (c) Regulations.--Not later than 120 days after the date of 
enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall issue final regulations to 
carry out the amendment made by subsection (a).
    (d) Effective Date.--This Act, and the amendments made by this Act, 
shall take effect on the earlier of--
            (1) the effective date of regulations issued under 
        subsection (c); and
            (2) the date that is 180 days after the date of enactment 
        of this Act.
                                 <all>