DOT to Postpone Some Consumer Protection Laws

The Department of Transportation is postponing some consumer protections scheduled to take effect on August 23. The airlines said it would take more time to implement the changes. The rules that are being delayed until January 24 are:

• Airlines must prominently disclose all potential fees on their websites, including fees for baggage, meals, canceling or changing reservations, and advanced or upgraded seating.


• Also, airlines and ticket agents must include all taxes and fees in every advertised price.


• Airlines must disclose baggage fees on e-ticket confirmations. Airlines must apply the same baggage allowances and fees through a passenger's journey, including segments with interline and code share partners.


• Airlines are banned from raising prices after the purchase; unless they are due to government-imposed taxes or fees, and only if the passenger is notified and agrees to the potential increase at the time of sale.


• Airlines are required to provide passengers timely notice of flight delays and cancellations.


• Airlines must allow reservations to be held at the quoted fare without payment, or cancelled without penalty, for at least 24 hours after the reservation is made if the reservation is made one week or more before a flight's departure date.
  
  The Laws that will take effect on August 23 are:
  


• Passengers that are involuntarily bumped from flights will be eligible for increased compensation. Under the new rule, bumped passengers can get up to $650 or $1,300 respectively. Inflation adjustments will be made to those compensation limits every two years.


• International flights delayed on U.S. airport tarmacs more than four hours must allow passengers to deplane, with exceptions allowed for safety, security or air traffic control-related reasons.


• Foreign airlines must post contingency plans for lengthy delays, customer service plans and contracts of carriage on their websites.


• Airlines must refund any baggage fee if the bag is lost.


• Airlines must post changes in baggage fees on their websites for three months.


• Airlines must prominently disclose all fees for optional aviation services on their websites.


• Where refunds are due, airlines must provide prompt refunds of fares and optional fees.