Attention friends in the United States:
Recently, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued new regulations,
At present, it is difficult for airlines to refund and charge arbitrarily
has undergone significant changes,
You don't have to worry about being "slaughtered" when you go out in the future!
Let's take a look~
(Source: icitynews, the copyright belongs to the original author)
01
Full refunds will be credited to your account automatically, and all the cumbersome processes will be eliminated
For a long time, U.S. airlines have been able to set their own refund standards, which makes the standards of each airline uneven and very confusing, either delaying refunds, or having to fill out various documents and make phone calls, often for hours or even days, and the process is so cumbersome that it is overwhelming;
What's even more outrageous is that some airlines also default "refunds" to travel credits or vouchers, which is basically impossible to book a new flight on an impromptu basis......
However, on Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Transportation issued new rules on its website, making the refund system much clearer.
The new regulations stipulate that:
· In the event of a flight cancellation or significant change (domestic departure or arrival time change of more than 3 hours, international departure or arrival time of more than 6 hours, change of departure or arrival airport, increase of number of transfers, downgrade, change of connecting airport, change of aircraft type, etc.), passengers can choose a full refund if they do not accept the compensation plan provided by the airline, such as travel points and cash coupons.
If the baggage is delayed (the checked baggage is not picked up within 12 hours for domestic flights and 15-30 hours for international flights after the flight arrives at the boarding gate), the passenger can get a refund of the baggage fee after submitting an error report.
· If the airline fails to provide additional services (paid WIFI, paid seat selection, paid in-flight entertainment, etc.), the passenger will be entitled to a refund for that service.
(Source: transportation.gov)
In addition, refunds must also adhere to the following principles:
· Airlines must issue automatic refunds and passengers do not need to make any requests.
· For credit card purchases, the airline or ticket agent must issue the refund within 7 working days of the refund expiration, or within 20 days for other payment methods.
· If the passenger does not expressly choose to accept other refund and compensation, the airline and the ticket agent must provide the refund in cash or the original form of payment (credit card, air mileage, etc.), and may not use vouchers, travel credits or other forms of refund compensation.
(Image source network, copyright belongs to the original author)
· Airlines and ticket agents must refund the full amount of the unused itinerary, including all taxes and fees imposed by the government.
· Airlines should promptly notify affected passengers of their right to a refund and their policies.
In addition, if a passenger is unable to travel due to a communicable disease, the airline must provide a transferable travel credit or voucher that is valid for at least five years from the date of issue, subject to the passenger's provision of the relevant documentation.
02
Eliminate the "garbage fee" and make the charges transparent
In fact, in addition to the problems in the refund process, American airlines also frequently charge indiscriminately.
In recent months, many airlines have secretly increased baggage fees, and many of them are not transparent, and passengers are often charged a miscellaneous "junk fee".
(Source: dailymail, copyright belongs to the original author)
Therefore, the Ministry of Transport has also reformed this:
Require airlines and ticket agents to disclose any additional charges in addition to the full fare before the passenger purchases a ticket,
This includes fees for the first or second piece of checked baggage, carry-on baggage, etc., as well as fees for cancellations or changes to the order.
In addition, 10 major U.S. airlines guarantee free changes and meals, and nine airlines guarantee hotel accommodations in the event of significant flight delays or cancellations.
(Source: dailymail, copyright belongs to the original author)
At the same time, in order to avoid the phenomenon of arbitrary charging and provide better services for passengers, the Ministry of Transport is also continuing to formulate new regulations, and has drawn up some proposals, such as:
The proposal prohibits the charging of family seating fees, guaranteeing that parents can sit with their children at no additional cost. At present, four airlines have guaranteed free family seats.
It is proposed to expand the rights of passengers using wheelchairs to ensure safe and comfortable travel.
03
New regulations are coming into effect, making travel easier!
The Ministry of Transport said the new rules will come into effect in the next two years.
At the same time, there are strict official standards for the implementation of the rules, with airlines imposing maximum fines if they fail to do their duty.
To date, all airlines that violate consumer protection rules have been fined more than $164 million.
(Image source network, copyright belongs to the original author)
In short, at present, various policies are very friendly to our consumers, and it will be easier for everyone to travel in the future~