12 airlines agree to scrap surprise surcharges

Headline air fares are set to rise after 12 airlines - including Ryanair and easyJet - agreed to scrap fees for paying by debit card. Under a deal with the Office of Fair Trading announced today, the carriers will incorporate debit card surcharges into their advertised ticket prices, rather than adding them at the end of online booking. Budget airlines will almost certainly push up their ‘headline’, or advertised fare to make up the lost revenue. They will still be able to impose surcharges for credit cards, which are more costly to process, but have promised the OFT they will make those fees more transparent. Aer Lingus, BMI Baby, Eastern Airways, easyJet, Flybe, German Wings, Jet2, Lufthansa, Ryanair, Thomas Cook, Thomson and Wizz Air have agreed to the deal. The Office of Fair Trading...

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Five hikers fall to deaths in Swiss Alps

Five foreign climbers have fallen to their deaths in the Valais canton in the Swiss Alps. The incident occurred at around 13:00 (11:00 GMT) on the 4,010m (13,155ft) Lagginhorn mountain. "The five climbers fell several hundred metres. They all died at the scene," a local police statement said. The hikers were descending the Lagginhorn when they fell. Police said it was not yet clear what caused the accident. The BBC's correspondent in Geneva, Imogen Foulkes, says it appears the five were roped together. A sixth climber who had not made the final attempt at the summit, because he felt unwell, raised the alarm immediately. Police said he had been airlifted to safety by helicopter. Police confirmed the hikers were all foreign, but said they would not disclose their nationalities until their...

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