It
is the latest in a series of moves by the Biden administration
to crack down on airlines and bolster passenger consumer
protections.
"When an airline causes a flight cancellation or delay,
passengers should not foot the bill,” U.S. Transportation
Secretary (USDOT) Pete Buttigieg said in a statement.
USDOT said it plans to write regulations that will require
airlines to cover expenses such as meals and hotels if carriers
are responsible for stranding passengers. Most carriers
voluntarily committed in August 2022 to providing hotels or
meals but resisted providing cash compensation for delays.
The Biden administration has objected to family seating fees,
investigated 10 carriers for failing to provide refunds, pressed
Southwest Airlines to do more after a holiday meltdown led to
more than 16,000 flight cancellations and proposed other new
consumer protections.
USDOT will make clear starting Monday on a government website
that no U.S. carriers have agreed to provide cash compensation
for delayed or canceled flights under carriers' control.
The Biden administration has sparred with U.S. airlines over who
was to blame for hundreds of thousands of flight disruptions
last year.
Airlines for America, a trade association representing Delta Air
Lines, United Airlines, American Airlines, and others, said U.S.
airlines "have no incentive to delay or cancel a flight and do
everything in their control to ensure flights depart and arrive
on time, but safety is always the top priority."
U.S. airlines note the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA)
acknowledges it does not have enough air traffic control staff
and is operating 10% fewer flights than in 2019 to reduce
pressure on the system.
In October, Reuters first reported major U.S. airlines opposed
USDOT plans to update its dashboard to show whether carriers
would voluntarily compensate passengers for lengthy delays
within airlines' control.
USDOT said Monday the updated dashboard will show that one
airline guarantees frequent flyer miles and two airlines
guarantee travel credits or vouchers when cancellations or
delays result in passengers' waiting three hours. No airline
guarantees cash compensation.
There is no legal requirement for airlines to compensate U.S.
passengers for delayed or canceled flights, but the European
Union and some other countries require compensation of up to 600
euros ($663) for most significant delays.
(Reporting by David Shepardson and Nandita Bose in Washington)
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