The government has come under pressure from the consumer group Which? regarding the abolition of hidden surcharges on debit cards used for travel purchases.

Earlier this year the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) advised the government to make some changes in the law which would see such charges abolished. The proposals were aimed at travel companies which were adding extra charges on to debit or credit card purchases and only revealing these surcharges towards the end of a lengthy booking process.

In June this year, the OFT ordered all travel companies to make their surcharges clearer to the public, but now Which? is calling for a total ban on surcharges being imposed on debit card purchases. In a statement to the BBC, Richard Lloyd from Which? believes that "it is time for the government to put a stop to this" and argues that only a "minor" change in the law would be required to ban the extra charges placed on debit card purchases.

According to the OFT travellers spent £300 million on card surcharges to airlines alone in 2010. Despite the call by Which? to relieve passengers from being forced to pay further charges on debit card payments, two airlines - Lufthansa and Swiss Air - are planning on charging their customers an extra £4.50 on all payments made by card from 2 November. Other airlines are charging more with Easyjet adding a further £8 for payments made using a debit card and Ryanair charging an extra £6 for all card users.

A spokesman for the Treasury has told the BBC that the government is currently "considering" the OFT's recommendations and plans to "respond in due course".