Cheap fares, be they cheap airplane tickets or cheap vacation packages, look a lot more attractive to potential fliers when they do not have to worry about being stuck on a runway for extended delays or getting involuntarily bumped off flights.
The following are Department of Transportation (DOT) consumer protection rules that go into effect on August 23rd:
The existing runway delay rule, that penalizes airlines heavily for runway delays in excess of three hours on domestic flights, has been extended to apply to virtually all American airports as well as foreign airlines flying out of the U.S.
The limit on extended runway delays before penalties kick in is three hours for domestic flights and four hours for international flights.
Involuntary denied boarding compensation has increased and future payments will automatically be adjusted for inflation. The new rules call for compensation for bumping to be 200 percent of the price of a ticket up to a maximum of $650, if the flier can be placed on another flight that will arrive within two hours of the originally scheduled flights arrival time or four hours on international flights. Later arrivals will result in payment of 400 percent of the original ticket price up to a maximum of $1,300.
As was the case with the prior bumping rules, passengers that can be rerouted to reach their destinations within one hour of the original schedule will receive no payment.
U.S. and foreign airlines are required to implement customer service plans that offer potential fliers the cheapest ticket prices available, regardless of whether they are being sold via an airlines website, ticket counter, or call center. They are also required to alert customers if a cheaper price is available elsewhere.
Airlines must refund checked bag fees if a passengers bag is lost and disclose all potential fees on their websites. www.cheapfares.com