Italian Antitrust Authority imposes EUR1m fine against Blue Panorama Airlines

Italy's Antitrust Authority imposed (31-May-2019) a EUR1 million fine against Blue Panorama Airlines for incorrect commercial practices in violation of consumer law. The fine relates specifically to the carrier requiring "a very high number of consumers" to initially purchase a new airfare to be allowed use the service already purchased, and subsequently imposing a EUR50 fee both ways, due to incorrect passenger name details input when the booking was made. The authority found the fee was unrelated to upholding air traffic security, adding the carrier did not provide any prior information about the consequences of the incomplete annotation of passenger details at the time of booking. It also found the discrepancy in some cases derived from the online booking platform providing limited space available for inputting the full names/surnames of travellers or misalignment between the operational interfaces with the websites of certain sales intermediaries. [more - original PR - Italian]