The Biden administration last week announced a new rule promising that when airlines cancel or significantly delay flights, passengers will automatically be given their money back without having to “navigate a patchwork of cumbersome processes to request and receive a refund, searching through airline websites to figure out how make the request, filling out extra ‘digital paperwork,’ or at times waiting for hours on the phone.”
But just days after that announcement generated celebratory headlines, four congressional lawmakers overseeing aviation policy began advancing legislation that includes a provision potentially reimposing those cumbersome processes on passengers, despite pleas from federal regulators that they refrain from doing so.
Airline lobbyists are now citing the legislation's language as a rationale for ignoring or challenging the Biden administration’s new rule.
The lawmakers are four of the six largest congressional recipients of campaign cash from the airline industry in the current election cycle, according to data from the government transparency group OpenSecrets.
On Monday, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX), Rep. Sam Graves (R-Mo.) and Rep Rick Larsen (D-Wash.) unveiled a version of the bill which creates a right to a refund for airline passengers with a nonrefundable ticket, but requires refunds only “upon written or electronic request of the passenger” — an explicit rejection of the Biden administration’s rule.
Lobbying groups for the industry are already using the bill as a tool to invalidate the automatic refund rule.
I wouldn’t consider myself a republican…
But wouldn’t this encourage airlines to cut corners to avoid delays?
Also, why enforce this as the government and not just let the airlines handle it? Sounds awfully controlling.
@BassBellaForward2wks2W
@Pr0porti0nalDeanGreen2wks2W
The airline industry should have never become “stretched” this is their fault and they need to fix it.
@MindCodConstitution2wks2W
The aircraft and Airlines aren't the problem once again it comes down to infrastructure. Biden should concentrate a bit more on pervasive transportation infrastructure issues rather than fully electric vehicles113
In typical govt fashion, they’re going to make things worse. If companies are looking at a $100k+ payout every time a plane is cancelled or significantly delayed (which is often caused by factors outside of their control) they’re going to cut corners to get planes in the air.
@RiceAveryRepublican2wks2W
@SenateVioletPatriot2wks2W
As a career commercial and military pilot, let me illustrate how panderingly stupid this is.
The large majority of airline delays and cancellations are due to bad weather and the resultant FAA impacts throughout the aviation system. I’ve heard anywhere from 60-70%. A snow storm at O’Hare, thunderstorms in Atlanta, fog in San Francisco, tornadoes in Dallas, all send ripples throughout the system. Even if you’re not flying to those destinations.
The FAA is also tasked with cramming too many jets into the airspace on very tight intervals. Their technology is getting better but… Read more
@BoldC4mpaignDemocrat2wks2W
That sounds like a fair and customer-friendly policy Airlines should prioritize providing the services they promise, and if they fall short, passengers deserve proper compensation.
There will be unexpected consequences. In some cases it will be cheaper to cancel a flight and refund the money rather than departing late. This will happen for example in cases where 1 late departure would lead to a cascade of late departures.
@ISIDEWITH2wks2W
@ISIDEWITH2wks2W
@ISIDEWITH2wks2W
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