Source: United States Senator for Massachusetts Ed Markey
Washington (May 8, 2023) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.), a member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee and longtime advocate for air passengers’ rights, today released the following statement after the Department of Transportation (DOT) announced it would adopt his proposed rule requiring airlines to compensate passengers for significant flight delays and cancellations caused by the airline. The rulemaking follows his and his colleagues’ November 2022 comment to DOT urging it to strengthen its proposed rule on airline refunds by requiring airlines to cover travelers’ secondary expenses, including for food and drink, hotel rooms, and transportation to-and-from the airport, when an airline causes a significant flight delay or cancellation.
“I commend the Department of Transportation for taking up my proposal to require airlines to compensate passengers when they cause a significant flight delay or cancellation. For too long, passengers have borne the cost of the airlines’ mistakes – totaling over 38 million minutes in 2022 alone. The new rule will hold the airlines accountable for these flight disruptions and help stop the financial exploitation of air travelers. I look forward to working with the Biden administration to finalize this commonsense consumer protection.”
Senator Markey is a staunch advocate for airline consumers. Earlier this year, he reintroduced the FAIR Fees Act, which would prohibit airlines from charging fees disproportionate to the cost of the service, and the Families Fly Together Act, which would prohibit airlines from charging a fee for families to sit together on a flight. After Southwest Airlines cancelled 16,700 flights over the holidays, Senator Markey called for the company to provide a cash hardship payment to customers, in addition to issuing ticket refunds and reimbursing customers for secondary expenses. Senator Markey and 15 of his colleagues also wrote a letter to Southwest Airlines with detailed questions about the meltdown.
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