Pro-DOMA lawyer fails in Supreme Court appeal not to disclose airline fees in ads

The Supreme Court refused on Monday to hear a challenge to a federal statute requiring airlines to include taxes and other fees in their price listings, Reuters reported.

Three airlines -- Allegiant Air, Southwest Airlines and Spirit Airlines -- sought to challenge a July ruling by a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals upholding the rule, which was instituted last year by the Department of Transportation.

The rule requires airlines to list taxes and other costs separately from the total cost of a plane ticket, but in a smaller type size, and not displayed prominently in advertisements.

According to Bloomberg News, the court also declined a challenge to another federal rule requiring airlines to either allow customers to hold their seats for a day without paying or grant them a 24-hour grace period on cancellations.

The companies were represented by attorney Paul Clement, who appeared before the high court on March 27 to argue on behalf of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). At one point during that hearing, Justice Anthony Kennedy told Clement that he saw "illogic" in his argument.

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