- Airlines prefer to hand out travel vouchers instead of refunds against cancelled/delayed flights
- Although airlines are required to offer passengers refunds for canceled flights a cancellation has not been defined
The Transportation Department is
proposing to require airlines to offer passengers a refund if their flight
schedule is changed significantly or the airline makes major changes to their
itinerary, AP reports.
The proposed rule announced
Wednesday would require airlines to give refunds if their departure or arrival
time changes by three hours or more for a domestic flight or at least six hours
for an international one.
Travel experience
Refunds would also be due if the
airline changes the passenger's departure or arrival airport, adds stops in
their itinerary, or causes "
asignificant downgrade" in the travel experience by switching to a
different type of plane, the report said.
The rule would apply even for
travelers who buy nonrefundable tickets, which usually cost less and are favored
by many leisure travelers.
The proposal comes after the
department was flooded with complaints by passengers whose flights were
canceled or changed — or who were afraid to fly during the early months of the
pandemic — and who couldn't get refunds.
Airlines prefer to hand out travel
vouchers instead of refunds, according to the news agency report.
Likely opposition from airlines
The department proposes to require
and ticket agents give vouchers that don't expire for passengers who are
told not to travel during a pandemic for health reasons or because borders are
closed.
The proposal faces a public-comment
period and likely opposition by airlines. Their trade group, Airlines for
America, did not immediately comment.
Currently, airlines are required to
refunds to passengers whose flights are canceled or significantly changed,
but it has never defined a cancellation or significant change. Because of that,
airlines have challenged the Transportation Department's authority to force
them to pay refunds.
Rights of travelers
"When Americans buy an airline
ticket, they should get to their destination safely, reliably, and
affordably," Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.
"This new proposed rule would protect the rights of travelers and help
ensure they get the timely refunds they deserve from the airlines."
Consumer complaints filed
with the department rose nearly seven-fold in 2020 from the year before,
and 87% were about refunds.
The department will take public
comments on the proposal for 90 days. A group that advises the department and
includes consumer advocates scheduled an online meeting to discuss the rule on
