EasyJet insists customers understand the costs

The advertising watchdog said the carrier must include possible taxes and other costs alongside the price of the flight.

The Advertising Standards Authority (ASA) was responding to complaints about three adverts promoting flights "from just �1".

Members of the public and the Consumers' Association lodged the complaints about adverts which appeared on the company's website and in a promotional e-mail.

EasyJet said the advert on its website led to a page which gave the full price including additional costs.

'Decent and honest'

The airline said: "EasyJet believed and still believes that the advertising in question was legal, decent and honest and we reject totally the ASA charges in this instance.

"The advert makes it perfectly clear that charges and taxes were extra and EasyJet received not a single complaint about it. Thousands of people booked with us through this sale - and the ASA only received two complaints."

The airline said its own research had found customers understood there would be additional costs on top of the advertised price.

The ASA said it accepted it was not possible to include the price of flights inclusive of costs in the headline of the advert when promoting various destinations.

However, it said "the requirement to pay taxes and charges" should still be stated "prominently next to the headline price" in adverts where more than one destination is being promoted.