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Lawmakers Continue to Pressure DOT on Airline Refunds

As airlines brace for the busiest holiday travel season since 2019, three Democratic lawmakers are pressuring the U.S. Department of Transportation to force carriers to give flyers refunds for cancelled flights. At the very least, the group is demanding travel vouchers be extended indefinitely, until the pandemic comes to a complete end.

With Independence Day around the corner, three Democratic lawmakers are once again pressuring the U.S. Department of Transportation to force air carriers to refund flyers’ airfare from cancelled flights during 2020. Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), along with Representative Jesús G. “Chuy” García (D-IL) sent a letter to Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, demanding cash refunds for passengers.

Legislators Say “Urgent Problem” Reflected in “500 Percent” Increase in DOT Complaints

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, airlines have been reluctant to give passengers a cash refund for their flights. Instead, many of them issued flight credits, which could be used on a future flight with the carrier. Throughout 2020, federal legislators and state attorneys general have repeatedly asked the U.S. Department of Transportation to lean on the airlines for refunds.

Despite the U.S.-based airlines taking billions in grants and loans from multiple bailout packages, movement has been slow. The group of lawmakers note this in their letter, citing the spike of complaints from passengers.

“Americans need cash in their pockets during this emergency, and it is unconscionable that airlines are largely refusing to return customers’ money on a technicality, even as the industry sits on more than $10 billion in unused travel credits,” the group writes. “This urgent problem is reflected in the 500 percent increase in passenger complaints that the DOT has received during the pandemic, driven largely by refund-related concerns.”

With a solution in mind, the three are pressuring secretary Buttigieg to force airlines to give flyers affected by the pandemic a cash refund for any credits they are holding. If nothing else, the group wants the DOT to force airlines to make the vouchers valid for an indefinite period, until the pandemic ends.

“The coronavirus pandemic has created unprecedented challenges for air travelers, and consumers deserve cash refunds for tickets canceled during the pandemic,” the letter reads. “At a minimum, it is imperative that all flight credits issued during the pandemic are made valid indefinitely by default and frequent flier miles do not expire as a result of travelers having chosen not to fly during the pandemic…There should be no expiration date for consumer protection.”

DOT Pursues Refunds From One Airline; Says They Are Looking Into Others

Although the DOT has not yet publicly responded to the letter, the agency said in a previous statement they are looking into airlines for their refund policies. To date, officials have only proposed fines against one carrier for not giving flyers cash back: Air Canada.

1 Comments
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bberris July 13, 2021

Can't a cash strapped airline just market cheap tickets and then cancel the flight for an interest free loan? Or maybe they convince the sucker to take a credit for a future flight. I'm looking at you Iceland.