by Donald Wood
Last updated: 8:40 AM ET, Wed April 24, 2024
United States President Joe Biden and his administration issued
a new
set of rules for airlines outlining when to refund travelers for delays and
how to properly disclose fees.
According to The
Associated Press, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) said that
American carriers must provide “automatic cash refunds” within days of a flight
being delayed significantly or outright canceled.
To avoid confusion, the DOT now universally defines a
significant delay as a plane that takes off at least three hours after the scheduled
departure time for domestic flights and six hours for international service.
The new rules also allow impacted passengers to reject the travel
credits or alternative flights offered by airlines in the case of a delay.
As for baggage fees and refunds, the DOT now gives carriers
12 hours to return checked baggage to customers on domestic flights and 30 for
international service. Otherwise, the impacted travelers will be eligible
for a refund.
Passengers can also request a refund if the airline fails to
provide advertised extras, such as seat selection or internet connection.
In addition, carriers and ticket agents must be transparent
about charges for checked and carry-on bags and canceling or changing a
reservation. On airline websites, all fees must be listed when travelers see the
price and schedule.
The DOT estimates the new rules will save American travelers
more than $500 million annually.
As for the impact on travel advisors, the American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) released a statement saying they are "carefully reviewing all aspects of the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) final rules to assess the potential impact on the day-to-day business operations for our travel advisor members. Our primary concern for our members has always been the potential that regulations aimed at protecting consumers purchasing air tickets, could in turn hurt the small ticket agencies who also sell air. As we review the final rules in full detail, we’ll plan to thoroughly update all ASTA members with a complete analysis in the coming days."
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