Department of Transportation Fines Four Major US Carriers
Luciana Mangas August 30, 2016
In an unprecedented series of inspections, the DOT has fined American Airlines, Alaska Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines.
Four major airlines in the United States are getting fined by the Department of Transportation (DOT) for not providing accurate information explaining compensation for mishandled luggage and involuntarily “bumped” passengers.
The DOT announced this past Friday that American Airlines, Alaska Airlines,Southwest Airlines and United Airlines will have to pay fines of over $30,000 each.
“We are committed to ensuring that air travelers know the rules and have accurate information about compensation when they are bumped from flights and for lost, damaged, or delayed baggage,” Transportation secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement.
According to the Agency’s rules, carriers must always inform passengers about potential compensation to those who get “bumped” from oversold flights. Federal law also forbids airlines from limiting compensation to less than $3,500, in case of lost, damaged or delayed luggage. That information must always be available to passengers on or with their tickets.
After an airport inspection, the DOT found that not all gate or counter agents of the fined airlines had accurate or up-to-date information for fliers with bumped flights or mishandled bags.
The operation, called ‘Task Force Lightning’ is part of an unprecedented series of inspections conducted at airports across the country by the Department’s Office of Aviation Enforcement and Proceedings.
[Photo: Department of Transportation]
