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Trading standards chiefs have welcomed steps taken by the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) to stop the travel industry from misleading its customers by not disclosing full details of ticket prices.

The OFT has warned holiday and travel suppliers their advertising must disclose the full price consumers have to pay and not hide items such as fuel supplements.

Some travellers have discovered that the price they have had to pay for an airline ticket is more than double the advertised cost and the OFT has promised to take enforcement action if the practice continues.

The warning complements a move by the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) to remind its members that their Code of Conduct insists all fixed non-optional costs are disclosed in holiday and ticket prices. It follows a concerted campaign mounted by Trading Standards in conjunction with consumer groups - the Consumers Association, Air Transport Users Association - and trade associations (Association of Independent Tour Operators), to outlaw the practice.

The Trading Standards Institute (TSI) lead officer on travel, Bruce Treloar, said: "It's excellent news that this misleading and illegal cocktail of confusion is being stamped out. In future, travellers will know exactly what they have to pay and not be mislead by holidays and flights advertised at unrealistic prices.

"The practice has become increasingly common in the travel industry and consumers have been left with no option to pay up. Can you imagine the outcry if a shop advertised an item at a specific price and then told the customer there was an additional charge for the premise's lighting and heating costs?"

In addition to welcoming the OFT's crack down, TSI intends to play its part in ensuring it is enforced.

Ron Gainsford, TSI chief executive, added: "Under the Enterprise Act (2002), the OFT can take action against any practices which are to the considerable detriment of consumers. Trading standards has been providing evidence and working with the OFT culminating with this promise of enforceable action."

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