Dept. of Transportation Orders Airlines To Give Refunds
(DailyVantage.com) – Almost everyone who’s flown regularly knows the struggles of delayed and canceled flights. Sometimes, there are no opportunities to catch the next plane, leaving travelers out hundreds of dollars and potentially stranded until they can find the next available ride. During recent issues, consumers turned to airlines to make the situation right, only to receive excuses or even a total brush-off. Now, the Department of Transportation (DOT) is addressing the issue.
On Monday, November 14, the DOT announced it enforced actions against six airlines, ensuring they refunded customers for either delayed or canceled flights. The payout cost Air India, Aeromexico, El Al, TAP Portugal, Avianca, and Frontier a collective $622 million. Frontier got slapped with the heftiest amount, $222 million, and the DOT considers the airline “one of the worst offenders,” according to consumer advocate Bill McGee.
Our message to the traveling public is DOT has your back. Thanks to DOT efforts more than $600 million in refunds returned to airline passengers who were owed a refund due to a flight cancelation or significant change. https://t.co/Sfa0Emyd2n
— TransportationGov (@USDOT) November 14, 2022
The DOT didn’t stop there, either. It levied fines against the same airlines for a collective $7.25 million in civil penalties. Secretary of Transportation, Pete Buttigieg, said the government “will act to hold airlines accountable… and get passengers their money back.” He noted that a canceled flight is “frustrating enough” and that Americans shouldn’t have to “haggle or wait months” to get refunded.
Do you think the government should hold airlines accountable for their actions?
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