Now Virgin complains about BWIA ads By Juhel Browne T'dad Guardian 11.14.02 BWIA may have broken the law with its new press ads promoting a low fare on the London route, said the Advertising Standards Authority yesterday. In its ads, which ran on Sunday in the three daily newspapers, BWIA claimed its London fare would be US$680 (TT$4,284) from November 15, and said "it does not include taxes". Virgin Atlantic Airways filed a complaint with the ASA yesterday asserting BWIA's ads were against local advertising standards. "The prices are supposed to be VAT inclusive or, if they are not, the amount of the VAT is supposed to be included," said ASA secretary Peter Popplewell. "It goes beyond the ASA because you are dealing with the legislation." He was referring to The Adverse Trade Practices Order 2000, which states it is illegal to advertise the prices of goods without including VAT. Such advertising also goes against the ASA's standards. Although, he noted there has been some debate over whether the word "goods" applies to services like flights, BWIA has no excuse. "From the ASA point of view they need to put the VAT in," said Popplewell. "We are trying to get them to forget the legal thing and make it a vote of conscience." Virgin's controversial ads which also ran on Sunday promoted its $5,087 (US$807) London fare as VAT inclusive. Virgin flies to London from Barbados. In its letter to the ASA signed by the airline's Caribbean regional manager, Judith Wilcox, Virgin said BWIA's ads were no anomaly. "We are also advised that this matter has been brought to your attention on previous occasions and we would be grateful if you could stop BWIA from consistently misleading the consumer," Wilcox wrote. "While that practice (of including VAT) has not been broadly regulated and supported, BWIA has taken a decision to lead by starting to reflect VAT in all future fair ads," BWIA corporate communications director Clint Williams yesterday. He said BWIA previously advertising fares without VAT because many of its competitors and travel agencies used the same advertising tactic. The owner of Roger's Trinbago Site: Roj (Roger James) *************************************************** escape email mailto:ejames@escape.ca Trinbago site: http://www.tntisland.com CBC Website http://www.tntisland.com/caribbeanbrassconnection/ The Trinbago Site of the Week: (chgdev) http://www.chagdev.com/ (Chaguaramas Development Authority) courtesy of Roj Trinbago Website & TnT Web Directory Roj's Trinbago Website: http://www.tntisland.com TnT Web Directory: http://search.co.tt *********************************************************