Departing DOT Chief Says Flying Is “a Little More Pleasant” Thanks to New Rules
Outgoing Secretary of Transportation told reporters that he worked to make air travel “better, easier and more convenient“ during his tenure.
In a final assessment of the failures and successes at the Department of Transportation (DOT) under his watch, former Secretary Anthony Foxx says federal rules have slowly shifted in favor of consumers during his time holding office. Speaking to a roundtable of journalists hours before the new administration was due to take over, Foxx highlighted the strides made to protect consumers throughout his term.
Foxx says that during his time in the cabinet, the administration has made unprecedented moves to regulate not only the safety of the aviation industry, but also to hold the industry accountable for its business practices. He says both the new regulations and strict enforcement of existing regulations were pursued with consumers in mind.
“We’ve worked hard to improve the environment for consumers in aviation,” Foxx told reporters including USA Today’s Bart Jansen. “We’ve certainly worked to ensure that there is an optimal level of competition.”
His administration’s most recent proposal has yet to go into effect, but could prove to make a huge difference in the way US airlines do business. The new federal rules which could go into effect as early as this Spring following a public comment period, would require air carriers, travel agents and third-party ticket sites to disclose bag fees at the time of booking. Foxx says this is just one of many ways that the DOT has attempted to stand up for air passengers in recent years.
“We’ve certainly put out several rules over the course of time I‘ve been here that are consumer oriented,” Foxx said. “Rules that for example required greater disclosure by some of the internet companies over which people buy their plane tickets, so that the baggage fees are disclosed.”
The departing Secretary of Transportation outlined a laundry list of passenger-friendly initiatives pursued under President Obama’s administration, including rules that will require airlines to publish details about on-time performance and lost baggage rates on their websites. The agency also set rules prohibiting booking sites from steering consumers to one particular airline even if there are better deals available on competing carriers.
Foxx says he is proud that DOT has worked tirelessly to make air travel more accessible for passengers with special needs. He notes that since he took the oath of office, some airlines have even gone as far as to offer in-flight entertainment options for sight- and hearing-impaired travelers.
Foxx reports that the DOT has nearly completed rules requiring airlines to refund some baggage fees in cases where luggage is lost or delayed. He says that overseeing rules changes to allow the use of personal electronic devices in flight made him something of a hero with his two preteen children.
Foxx says that he expects much of the work left undone will continue with the incoming administration. He says that DOT remains focused on agenda items such as reining in passengers who take advantage of rules allowing emotional support animals on flights and the ever-growing number of ancillary fees often hidden in ticket prices.
[Photo: Getty]