Consumer groups are asking Congress to support automatic refunds for airline passengers whose flights are canceled or delayed by several hours.
Just last week, the Department of Transportation announced rules requiring airlines to pay. Fast and automatic refunds. President Joe Biden touted the rule, Post to X This week, he said, “The time has come for airline passengers to receive cash refunds without going through the hassle of going through the hassle.”
However, 8 words in one word 1,069 page bill The Senate claimed Wednesday that it had begun debate on continuing to burden consumers with refunds. The bill would require airlines to pay refunds “only upon the passenger’s written or electronic request.”
Consumer advocates argue that without automatic refunds, travelers will lose out.
“How many of the average air travelers know what the (refund) rules are? How many of them know how to process an insurance claim?” Aviation “It’s a big deal,” said William McGee, a consumer advocate with the American Economic Liberties Project, a group skeptical of big business, including the company. “Because that percentage is so low, airlines are sitting on huge amounts of money that no one asks for and never gets refunded.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., said the language in the rebate bill is “ gifts for airlinesWe know that many travelers don’t have the time or resources to navigate the bureaucratic processes they’ve designed. ”
These eight words are not new. Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., included them in her reauthorization bill last June. Federal Aviation Administration The program would continue for five years, and an amendment to repeal it failed in the Senate Commerce Committee, chaired by Cantwell.
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said this week that the department has sufficient legal authority regarding rules regarding automatic refunds. But John Blayau, an advocate with the Consumer Federation of America, said the new bill’s language could make it easier for airlines to block automatic refunds in court.
Airlines for America, the nation’s largest airline trade group, has opposed automatic refunds from the beginning because it opposes almost any effort to tell airlines how to do business. The industry group says airlines can offer to put stranded travelers on another flight or award them frequent flyer points, and should issue refunds only if customers reject those offers. insisted.
The industry group declined to comment Wednesday.
Refunds have emerged as one of the law’s most controversial provisions. Huge $105 billion FAA bill. A fight is also likely over a provision that would allow 10 additional flights per day at busy Reagan National Airport near Washington, D.C.
Consumer groups generally support the bill, which triples maximum fines for airlines that violate consumer protections, requires airlines to allow family members to travel with them at no additional charge, and Company travel vouchers must have a validity period of at least 5 years. It would also enact new regulations by the Department of Transportation into law. This defines a significant delay that could lead to a refund as three hours for domestic flights and six hours for international flights.
they didn’t get Other items But they wanted more government power to regulate minimum seat sizes and airline schedules and fares.
The bill includes a number of safety-related measures to address the series of accidents. close call Among planes at airports across the country. The move would allow the FAA to increase the number of air traffic controllers and safety inspectors and install technology at more airports to prevent collisions between planes on runways.