Final Rule - Refunds and Other Consumer Protections

The U.S. Department of Transportation is issuing a final rule to ensure that consumers are treated fairly when they do not receive service that they paid for or are unable or advised not to travel because of a serious communicable disease. Under the final rule, U.S. and foreign air carriers must provide prompt automatic refunds and and ticket agents must provide prompt refunds upon request when airlines cancel or significantly change their flights and consumers do not accept the alternatives offered. This final rule also requires U.S. and foreign air carriers to promptly refund checked bag fees for significantly delayed bags and ancillary service fees for ancillary services that consumers paid for but were not provided. In addition, this final rule requires U.S. and foreign air carriers to provide transferrable travel vouchers or credits valid for at least 5 years to consumers holding non-refundable tickets for scheduled flights to, from, or within the United States who are restricted by a government or advised by a medical professional not to travel to, from, or within the United States due to a serious communicable disease.