Forecast for 2012: fairer skies ahead for air travelers

DOT's Office of Aviation Consumer Protection and Enforcement was hard at work in 2011 protecting the interests of the flying public.  Whether it's ensuring respect for civil rights, pursuing more transparent fare advertising, or improving passenger treatment during tarmac delays, if you're thinking about traveling by air, this team has your back.

For example, to boost the 2010 tarmac delay rules, last April the office extended passenger protections during tarmac delays to those traveling on international flights or on domestic flights operated by foreign or regional carriers. The April 2011 rule also called for an end to the practice of excluding taxes and fees from the advertised price of airline tickets, and required that the price advertised for air fares include all mandatory fees. Airlines are also required to list optional service fees on the first page of their websites. These provisions will reduce the frustration and sense of having been misled that many air travel consumers endured in the past.

US aviation consumers are getting off the tarmac and into the air

The Air Carrier Access Act makes it clear that that airline passengers with disabilities should have equal access to the same services as all other travelers.  So in October, we proposed a regulation that would require airlines and ticket agents to make their websites and automated kiosks accessible to individuals with disabilities.

In November, the Department issued a consent order against American Eagle for failure to adhere to the carrier's contingency plan for lengthy tarmac delays, which said they would not permit a domestic flight to remain on the tarmac for more than three hours without providing passengers an opportunity to deplane.  Investigators found that on May 29, the airline forced a total of 608 passengers on 15 flights to remain on the tarmac at O'Hare International Airport for more than three hours without the opportunity to deplane.

2011 was a good year for fairness in air travel thanks to the hard work of the Office of Airline Consumer Protection and Enforcement.  But DOT is not about to rest easy; the outlook for 2012 is even fairer.

Comments

[Iphone app developer]

>>> "Airlines are also required to list optional service fees on the first page of their websites."

Oh, yeah. I think that every "normal" company will do this. But if we look at their websites - they didn't. Almost noone, I think.

[saudi airlines]

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