US Department of Transportation extends airline passengers’ rights

The US Department of Transportation (US DOT) has announced a number of rules to protect airline passengers’ rights, with the Biden-Harris administration requiring carriers to provide transparency about ancillary fees and cancellation costs, as well as mandating prompt and automatic cash refunds where due. Airlines and ticket agents will be required to tell consumers upfront the fees charged for a first or second checked bag, a carry-on bag, or for changing or cancelling a reservation; a rule estimated to save consumers over $500 million annually in hidden fees. “Airlines should compete with one another to secure passengers’ business – not