Transportation Dept. Proposes New Rule to Ease Air Travel Chaos
A new rule would regulate the refund process for airlines after delays of three or more hours. Delays can happen for several reasons, including changes in airports, connections, or plane class. This could mean that airlines could downgrade passengers from business to economy class or put them on a plane with fewer amenities. The new rule would also make it easier for passengers to request free rebooking.
Transportation Department’s authority to prohibit unfair practices has resulted in inconsistency between carriers on when passengers are entitled to refunds
The Transportation Department’s authority to prohibit unfair practices resulted in inconsistency between air carriers regarding when passengers can expect refunds. For example, when a passenger is delayed or a service is not provided, the Transportation Department may not require the airline to issue a refund, even if the delay is due to bad weather. This inconsistency has created an unfair situation for passengers.
The Transportation Department has received numerous complaints from airline ticket holders about airline refund policies. This is because there are no clear guidelines as to what constitutes a cancellation or change. Because of this lack of clarity, refund policies vary widely from carrier to airline.
Under the law, private entities providing transportation services are prohibited from discriminating against people with disabilities. Similarly, they may not deny service to people with disabilities or force them to sit in designated priority seats. Moreover, they cannot require these individuals to pay a higher fee or accept reduced service.
Regulation of ticket agents to facilitate prompt issuance of refunds
Ticket agents must provide prompt refunds to passengers, and federal law requires airlines to comply with the rules. The law requires that refunds be issued within seven business days for credit card payments and twenty days for checks or cash payments. If an airline does not provide a refund within these timeframes, it may be subject to regulatory action.
If you find yourself in a situation where you need to file for a refund, contact the DOT and submit a complaint. DOT will assess your case based on the overall circumstances. They will look at the volume of refund requests and whether the airline has made good faith efforts to resolve the situation.
The Department of Transportation is proposing new regulations for ticket agents to help facilitate the prompt issuance of refunds to passengers. The proposed regulations would require ticket agents to provide refunds to passengers in certain situations, including when airline carriers cancel or substantially change flights. If the carrier cannot provide a refund, it must provide alternate transportation to consumers.
Dashboard for airlines to rebook passengers for free
A dashboard is now available that will allow airlines to rebook passengers for free. Before the dashboard was released, the situation was murky, with airlines’ policies and customer service plans difficult to decipher. In some cases, airlines would simply rebook affected passengers on another flight, but they did not provide free meal vouchers or hotel accommodations.
The new dashboard will provide information on airlines’ commitment to rebooking a flight for free and offering free overnight accommodations. The government’s dashboard will also show which airlines have a written policy in place that requires them to rebook passengers. The Department of Transportation said that the dashboard will provide information to make the process easier for travelers.
The Transportation Department’s dashboard will also provide useful information about airline policies regarding “controllable” delays or cancellations. This includes free rebooking, meal vouchers, and hotel accommodations for passengers delayed for three hours or more. The Dashboard will include information for ten major U.S. airlines, and will show a green check mark for each. The dashboard is a good starting point for travelers to compare different airlines before making a decision on whether or not to purchase their ticket.
