New rules announced to protect airline passengers from hidden fees

SAN DIEGO -- The Biden-Harris Administration on Wednesday made a big announcement that is going to save airline passengers a ton of grief and dollars.

There will be new and strict rules in effect for airlines that prevent them from surprising consumers with “junk fees” or hidden airline fees again. In a Department of Transportation press release, the new rules will mandate automatic cash refunds for canceled or “significantly delayed” flights, “significantly delayed” checked bags, or failed extra services that passengers purchased, such as Wi-Fi.

The DOT said “significant changes” to a flight include,"Departure or arrival times that are more than 3 hours domestically and 6 hours internationally; departures or arrivals from a different airport; increases in the number of connections; instances where passengers are downgraded to a lower class of service; or connections at different airports or flights on different planes that are less accessible or accommodating to a person with a disability.

The DOT said refund complaints peaked at 87 percent during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.The new federal rules are expected to take effect in the next 6-12 months -- giving airlines time to adjust accordingly.

Department Of Transportation Hidden Fees Junk Fees Refunds Rules

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