DOT Prepares New Pro-Consumer Rules for Air Travelers

One of the most frustrating things about canceling your flight during the pandemic is asking for a refund. If you’ve canceled your flight last year, there’s a chance that you will be made to hold on the phone for hours. Or worse, your flight credits could even expire. Lawmakers urged both airlines and the Department of Transportation (DOT) to return the money of consumers, or at least extend the expiry of flight credits.

DOT’s Updated Pro-Consumer Rules for Air Travelers

The good news is that it didn’t fall on deaf ears. According to Brian Deese, director of the White House’s National Economic Council, DOT is developing new pro-consumer rules for air travelers. This will require airlines to process refunds faster and to present upfront disclosure of fees. Deese said that this is designed to “protect airline passengers and to promote fair…competition in the airline industry”.

The first proposal will be available in the coming days. According to a source, this will require airlines to give back the extra fees.

Under the current rules, consumers can only get a refund on checked-in fees if the baggage was lost. Under the new rules planned by the DOT, airlines will give back consumers’ money on checked bags that arrive late, 12 hours late for domestic, and 25 hours late for international. In case the bag doesn’t arrive within the window period, the airline will need to refund the checked bag fees.

Aside from checked bag fees, DOT also wants airlines to refund optional fees if the services are not used or not working. This includes the use of WiFi and choosing a seat.

Then, you will also have transparency on the flight ticket that you are going to buy. Deese said that “This disclosure would stop families from getting hit with hidden airline fees and allow families to comparison shop between flight options more easily so they can get the best ticket available”.

Rise in Complaints

Since the pandemic started, complaints against airline policies skyrocketed as well. The DOT logged 102,000 consumer complaints last year compared to 15,000 in 2019. 87% of the complaints from last year were due to airline refunds.