ABTA’s request for an early legal ruling on Passenger Service Charges has been rejected by the High Court.
The association claims airlines are misleading customers by listing PSC separately as if it is a new charge.
It had asked court officials to schedule an early slot for its case to be heard, but the airlines argued that the issue should not be given special treatment.
A date for the hearing has now been set for November 8.
Head of legal services Riccardo Nardi said he was disappointed it did not secure a hearing sooner, but was pleased the court recognised its complaints were of public importance.
He said: “The airlines did not see why the case should be treated any differently from normal cases. However, other timetables for the case have been set down for July and August.”
Both parties have until July 23 to disclose their documents to each other.
The hearing, at the Royal Courts of Justice in central London, is scheduled to last eight days, although Nardi predicts ABTA will need less than six days to prove its case.
ABTA wants airlines to revert to the old system and include airport charges in the ticket price rather than showing it as a charge and not including it when paying agent commission.
ABTA is keeping a close eye on a similar case about to come before the German Supreme Court. It has been asked to rule on a lower court’s decision that Lufthansa was wrong to show PSC separately.