Airlines are lobbying the Department of Transport (DOT) to remove a number of key consumer protections. They want the following changes to be made (among others):
- Removal of the 24 hour grace period consumers receive when purchasing a ticket (this gives you 24 hours to cancel a ticket and receive a full refund)
- Removal of rule that requires airlines to honor ‘mistake fares’
- Removal of requirements to show on-time and cancellation data
- Ability to charge fees for wheelchair service
- Ability to pay online travel agencies to show bias in their search results
To start with let’s just remember that the DOT already doesn’t make airlines honor mistake fares, even though there is a rule in place that suggests they should. The hypocrisy in these rules changes are at an all time high, airlines want to be protected when they make a mistake and want to be able to punish consumers when they make a mistake. If anything, airlines should be held at a higher standard than consumers. I daresay there are burdensome regulations that airlines need to comply with that should be changed, but the fact that airlines are pushing for the removal of real consumer protections when asking for input frankly doesn’t lead to an air of empathy.
Please keep your comments to discussing these proposed changes rather than turning it into a debate regarding your political views.
