- February 2012
- January 2012
- December 2011
- November 2011
- October 2011
- September 2011
- August 2011
- July 2011
- June 2011
- May 2011
- April 2011
- March 2011
- February 2011
- January 2011
- December 2010
- November 2010
- October 2010
- September 2010
- August 2010
- July 2010
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- October 2008
- September 2008
- August 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- April 2008
- March 2008
- February 2008
- January 2008
- December 2007
- November 2007
- October 2007
- September 2007
- August 2007
- July 2007
- June 2007
- May 2007
- April 2007
Comments (14)
Print
Save/ShareThe airlines are using smaller planes to save money, while they also overbook their flights. The result? About 760,000 passengers will be bumped from their flights this year, the highest number since 2002.
Federal officials want to hike the fee airlines have to pay passengers for bumping them off an oversold flight against their wishes.
Today, most bumped fliers who get to their destination less than two hours later than planned should get the value of their one-way ticket back, up to about $400 in cash. Delayed much longer? You'll get up to $800.
The Obama administration wants to raise those caps, to $650 for two-hour delays and up to $1,300 for lengthy delays.
Other proposed changes:
Give passengers 24 hours to cancel reservations after purchasing a ticket, without paying a fee.
Require airlines to clearly tell ticket buyers what the baggage fees are.
Require airlines to give fliers timely flight status updates.
Require foreign airlines, not just U.S.-owned airlines, to obey the "three-hour limit," which limits how long passengers can wait on airport tarmacs during delayed take-offs.
If you want to read the rules and submit comments, do so by visiting the new Regulations.gov site's page on the topic: by clicking here. If that seems too complicated, you should instead visit Regulation Room is a pilot project of the Cornell E-rulemaking Initiative. It's privately run, but it works with Federal agencies, including DoT.
User reviews and comments that include profanity or personal attacks or other inappropriate comments or material will be removed from the site. Additionally, entries that are unsigned or contain "signatures" by someone other than the actual author will be removed. Finally, we will take steps to block users who violate any of our posting standards, terms of use or privacy policies or any other policies governing this site. Please review the full rules governing commentaries and discussions.
I think that sounds pretty fair!
Posted By Black Brad on June 3, 2010, 10:45 AM
It's about time! Please follow through and provide passengers with some rights!
Posted By shannon on June 3, 2010, 11:34 AM
The Department of Transportation has begun its open comment period on the proposed regulations through www.regulationroom.org.
Anyone with comments or concerns about the proposed changes are encouraged visit the site and post.
Posted By Lance on June 3, 2010, 11:42 AM
Even IF they change the rules - they won't apply if the carrier uses a smaller plane than the flight originally had... which is what this article is about.
Posted By MK on June 3, 2010, 2:53 PM
ok now are they going to do something about the luggage that the airlines damage & then claim that they are not responsible for? If they are going to charge to check luggage they they should be held accountable when there is damage to the bag after it has been in their custody.
Posted By kathy michael on June 3, 2010, 3:26 PM
How about airlines give bumped passengers real cash and not their air dollars. If I have paid for my ticket with my dollars I expect to get dollars back rather then airline miles.
Posted By Janet McClelland on June 3, 2010, 4:25 PM
We need congress to pass new laws to BAN all kind of fees. I am tired of seeing the ads for plane ticket costing ONLY $49 but in reality it does not incluce fuel surcharge, this tax, that tax, baggage fee, seat choosing fees, board the plane first fees etc etc...When you add up altogether you will realize it's not really $49 dollars but $299...
When purchasing rail or bus tickets, you do not have to deal with all those fees, why should we deal with them when using airline alone??
It's time we just pay flight ticket(Whether it is $49 or $499 ) and not worry about any more of extra fees....
Posted By Nand Tanj on June 3, 2010, 6:18 PM
I agree!! Stop all the fees. We already pay for the ticket which should include the handling of the bags as most people using airlines are going for a number of days and you can't expect them not to take several changes of clothing.
Posted By Dottie on June 3, 2010, 8:14 PM
It is about time... it is only fair if you get what is stated you are suppose to get.
BUT the bumped passenger still doesnot get what they purchased nor do they arrive to their destination on time
The airlines need to be service oriented and that went away along time ago especially with certain airlines
Posted By dgries on June 3, 2010, 11:35 PM
I don't want the obummer administration to ruin the airlines as well as the car industry that I will never ever ever buy another car from again.
Instead I want them to be regulated in a way that forces them ethically. They currently do too many games - oversell planes by 300%, lots of slieght-of-hand games with the mileage programs, etc. The consumer loses every step of the way. I fly frequently and it used to be that my 'high status' would get me some good rewards, but these days the planes are so full there are no benefits of being loyal. It is as rotten as the cellphone industry.
Airtran is the worst....I quit going to any of their mails since they are all 'roundtrip for $99' that in reality are about $459. Tell me why is an airline allowed to get away with FALSE ADVERTISING but not others businesses?
Posted By Marc on June 4, 2010, 2:08 PM
I work at JFK as a volunteer for Travelers Aid.
You are right, the Airlines need to be better regulated, but it seems the problem is not with the foreign Airlines.
Believe it or not, but from what I see there, the American Airlines are the worst when it comes to overbooking, lateness and not taking responsibility for mishaps, lateness and incorrect information posted on there websites.
Posted By Sandra Cordes on June 4, 2010, 9:17 PM
I wish the FAA would tell the airlines to ban the use of RJ clunkers and start bringing back the mainline flights. This would solve the overbooking problem. Everyone in this country are fed up with flying those RJ clunkers!
Posted By Cdpf of Norfolk, VA on June 11, 2010, 3:18 PM
Airtran is the worst....I quit going to any of their mails since they are all 'roundtrip for $99' that in reality are about $459. Tell me why is an airline allowed to get away with FALSE ADVERTISING but not others businesses?
Posted By Marc on June 4, 2010, 2:08 PM
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
In my experience I've found AirTran is one of the best at letting you know what the price of a seat will be. I've never been surprised at the total cost of tickets I've bought from them...and all their seats are NOT advertised as "roundtrip for $99". Perhaps a remedial reading class is in order?
Posted By Caitlin on June 16, 2010, 1:25 PM
Fees are outrageous, also if if your trip includes
a stop then you pay some of the fees a second time.
The meal vouchers are woefully inadequate as well.
What are the regulations regarding the delay of checked bags, what is the reimbursible dollar value of bare necessity clothing that you can purchase until your bags are delivered when one is away from home ?
Posted By K.Murthy on June 16, 2010, 11:55 PM