TWA's Summer Ad Promotion Lists Misleading Flight Prices

A Trans World Airlines advertisment appearing this week in over 65 college newspapers understates summer excursion fares to Europe by an average of $85.

The advertisement, which appeared in Monday's Crimson, reads, "This summer TWA can put Europe within reach no matter how tight your budget is..." It then lists fares from Boston to several European cities which are effective until May 31.

A sentences reading "peak season fares are higher" will be added to the advertisement, Marshall Barret, an account executive for Wells, Rich, and Greene, TWA's national advertising firm, said yesterday.

No mention is made in the advertisement of any date limitations on the listed fares.

Barret called the omission of a time limit an "honest mistake" and his firm had caught the discrepancy earlier yesterday. He said the advertisement was directed to students who attend schools which recess around May 10. "Most students go on vacation as soon as they get out of school," he said.

The ad lists fares to London at $318 and Paris as $337, but does not mention the "peak season" price hikes to $408 and $422.

"May is still the 'shoulder season.' Starting June 1, the 'peak season' begins and we add a surcharge, accounting for the increase in fares," a TWA spokesman said yesterday.

Advertising Service, a distributor of college advertising, sent a wire yesterday to all involved college newspapers, notifying them of the addition of the sentence regarding peak-season price hikes.

Barret said that he would confer with TWA officials today concerning further changes in the advertisement. The corrected ad still does not list the actual

Barret said that he would confer with TWA officials today concerning further changes in the advertisement. The corrected ad still does not list the actual