Transportation Department,
The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department or DOT) is requiring automatic refunds to consumers when a U.S. air carrier or a foreign air carrier cancels or makes a significant change to a scheduled flight to, from, or within the United States and the consumer is not offered or rejects alternative transportation and travel credits, vouchers, or other compensation. These automatic refunds must be provided promptly, i.e., within 7 business days for credit card payments and within 20 calendar days for other forms of payment. To ensure consumers know when they are entitled to a refund, the Department is requiring carriers and ticket agents to inform consumers of their right to a refund if that is the case before making an offer for alternative transportation, travel credits, vouchers, or other compensation in lieu of refunds. Also, the Department is defining, for the first time, the terms "significant change" and "cancellation" to provide clarity and consistency to consumers with respect to their right to a refund. The Department is also requiring refunds to consumers for fees for ancillary services that passengers paid for but did not receive and for checked baggage fees if the bag is significantly delayed. For consumers who are unable to or advised not to travel as scheduled on flights to, from, or within the United States because of a serious communicable disease, the Department is requiring that carriers provide travel vouchers or credits that are transferrable and valid for at least 5 years from the date of issuance. Carriers may require consumers to provide documentary evidence demonstrating that they are unable to travel or have been advised not to travel to support their request for a travel voucher or credit, unless the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) publishes guidance declaring that requiring such documentary evidence is not in the public interest.
Document Headings Document headings vary by document type but may contain the following: the agency or agencies that issued and signed a document the number of the CFR title and the number of each part the document amends, proposes to amend, or is directly related to the agency docket number / agency internal file number the RIN which identifies each regulatory action listed in the Unified Agenda of Federal Regulatory and Deregulatory Actions See the Document Drafting Handbook for more details. Department of Transportation Office of the Secretary 14 CFR Parts 259, 260, 262, and 399 [Docket No. DOT-OST-2022-0089 and DOT-OST-2016-0208] RIN 2105-AF04 AGENCY: Office of the Secretary (OST), Department of Transportation. ACTION: Final rule. SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of Transportation (Department or DOT) is requiring automatic refunds to consumers when a U.S. air carrier or a foreign air carrier cancels or makes a significant change to a scheduled flight to, from, or within the United States and the consumer is not offered or rejects alternative transportation and travel credits, vouchers, or other compensation. These automatic refunds must be provided promptly, i.e., within 7 business days for credit card payments and within 20 calendar days for other forms of payment. To ensure consumers know when they are entitled to a refund, the Department is requiring carriers and ticket agents to inform consumers of their right to a refund if that is the case before making an offer for alternative transportation, travel credits, vouchers, or other compensation in lieu of refunds. Also, the Department is defining, for the first time, the terms “significant change” and “cancellation” to provide clarity and consistency to consumers with respect to their right to a refund. The Department is also requiring refunds to consumers for fees for ancillary services that passengers paid for but did not receive and for checked baggage fees if the bag is significantly de…
Citation: 89 FR 32760
