Although the rules set no limits on how many carriers may charge for items such as bags, seats and ticket changes, they require airlines to more clearly communicate these and other costs in advertising and on their Web sites. Announcements must include the full price, including taxes of Government who are now often relegated to the test of the fine.
Increase of the other provisions of compensation carriers must pay passengers who are unwittingly struck flights (from up to $800 for as much as $ 1,300 for longer delays). Also, they require airline companies to reimburse baggage if baggage is lost and require airlines to promptly notify customers of delays more than 30 minutes. Provisions impose a limit of four hours, the time spent on the tarmac for international flights delayed, develop a policy which has been in place for domestic flights for a year.
The Department of transportation has proposed these and other protections to passengers in June, solicit feedback from the public on ideas and finally adopted most of the rules in question, despite the objections raised by the airlines.
"Air passengers have the right to be treated fairly," Transportation Secretary, Ray LaHood, said Tuesday. "It's just common sense that if an airline loses your bag or you get bumped from a flight because it was oversold, you must be repaid." The protections of more passengers, we are announcing today will help to ensure that travellers are treated with the respect they deserve.
The Government was endeavouring to deal with a growing frustration for travelers: confusion between prices of the tickets and hidden fees.
When the new rules take effect in late August, airlines must clearly disclose all potential costs on their Web sites, including supplements for baggage, meals, cancellation or modification of reservations and seating assignments. While the overview of the new rules provided by the Department of transportation did not specify how these costs will have to appears in the course of excavations at rates online or purchases, the single Government out baggage fees - which have become increasingly more complicated - special attention.
The new rules require airlines and agents ticketing for passengers information on baggage fees, before and after a purchase of ticket. Airlines must also include the cost of bag in the electronic ticket confirmations sent to passengers.
Another new rule that is sure to raise the debate requires the airlines and ticket agents to include all fees and taxes of Government in each advertised prize. Which would change the practice of long date to allow announcements list Government fees and charges separately - usually in a long Disclaimer, small-print.
The Department of transport also noted that it planned to issue a proposal later this year that would require additional costs to display to all points of sale on the airline Web sites. This is another hot issue, as travel agencies have asked the Government to force the airlines to share data of costs with data bases which make it easier for customers to compare prices of the tickets.
Given that the Department of transport has published an overview of the new rules on the condition that the details will be shared until Wednesday, airline policies reaction could only be drawn from responses they and their professional associations have submitted during the public consultation period last year.
The Air Transport Association, trade group of airlines, opposed, for example, for the full tariff requirement of advertising, calling the proposal "probably illegal" and pointing out that other businesses such as hotels or telecommunications companies have been forced to not include government taxes in their advertised price.
"Given the wide and varied practice of unbundling services and advertising services, it is not clear why the aviation industry must be treated differently," writes of the Air Transport Association.
More conciseness, Spirit Airlines has said in its filing that force carriers to announce prices, additional costs "would be tantamount to McDonald being required to not announce that burgers, including the price of French fries and a Coke.".
The Air Transport Association also objected to a rule, which was finally adopted, which will only require airlines to take a reservation at the fare quoted without payment, or provide cancellations without penalty, at least 24 hours after a reservation is made.
Spirit Airlines has written that this proposal would be "like allowing a client to a grocery store to take home a carton of milk without charge, leaving in the Sun and then bring the spoiled milk the next day".
In a concession to the objections of the airlines, the Government does limit rule 24 hours for the reservations carried out a week or more prior to the date of departure of the flight, one. The Ministry of transportation also decided not to force airlines to integrate their customer service plans, into their contracts of carriage which would have given passengers grounds for legal action if the carrier violated their service commitments. The Department also did not require refunds baggage fees when baggage is merely delayed.
Although the Air Transport Association objected to delay limits paved extending to international flights, the Government adopted this rule, which applies to national and foreign carriers. The Department of transportation has cited that the extended tarmac delay passengers experienced on foreign carriers during a snowstorm in December last International of New York Kennedy airport as an "important factor" in his decision.
Airlines warned that this rule will likely increase the flight cancellations. This issue is currently in litigation as analysts, representatives of the airline and the debate of officials from Government if the threat of penalties for delays tarmac for domestic flights has led more cancellations in the last year.
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