The Business Travel Coalition launched a "We The People" White House petition "requesting that true air travel comparison-shopping be restored"

via new U.S. Department of Transportation rules. The petition claims that "airlines have been charging for services such as for checking bags and have been hiding fees by withholding information from travel agencies such that consumers cannot efficiently compare the prices of alternatives and must visit numerous airline websites. ... DOT must require airlines, via a rulemaking, to provide fee information to sales channels where they offer base fares so consumers can see, compare and buy the complete air travel product." After several delays, DOT currently is scheduled to publish on Jan. 29, 2013, a new set of proposed air traveler protections, which could dictate how the airline industry presents ancillary items in corporate travel channels. The White House on its website notes that administration officials will respond to any We The People campaign "that crosses the signature threshold" of 25,000 signatures collected within 30 days, which in BTC's case is Dec. 25.