2022-16853: Airline Ticket Refunds and Consumer Protections

Summary

The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department or DOT) is proposing to codify its longstanding interpretation that it is an unfair business practice for a U.S. air carrier, a foreign air carrier, or a ticket agent to refuse to provide requested refunds to consumers when a carrier has cancelled or made a significant change to a scheduled flight to, from, or within the United States, and consumers found the alternative transportation offered by the carrier or the ticket agent to be unacceptable. The Department is also proposing to require that U.S. and foreign air carriers and ticket agents provide non-expiring travel vouchers or credits to consumers holding non- refundable tickets for scheduled flights to, from, or within the United States who are unable to travel as scheduled in certain circumstances related to a serious communicable disease. Furthermore, the Department is proposing to require U.S. and foreign air carriers and ticket agents provide refunds, in lieu of non-expiring travel vouchers or credits, if the carrier or ticket agent received significant financial assistance from the government as a result of a public health emergency. The NPRM proposes to allow carriers and ticket agents to require consumers provide evidence to support their assertion of entitlement to a travel voucher, credit, or refund.

The agency’s own summary, as published.

What this changes

Amends 3 parts of the Code of Federal Regulations — the standing rules this notice rewrites.

• 14 CFR 259 Enhanced Protections for Airline Passengers
• 14 CFR 260 Refunds for Airline Fare and Ancillary Service Fees
• 14 CFR 399 Statements of General Policy