Chaotic airline travel: It’s time for clear, fair passenger rights!

[Consumer Reports]   Dear Friend, The last few weeks of chaotic airline travel in the United States has made one thing clear: it’s time we have fair and consistent rules that hold the airline industry accountable – and responsive – to consumers and taxpayers. More than 18,000 flights have been canceled just since Christmas Eve, stranding countless people in airports across the country – some for days. And while the airlines point to weather and staffing shortages due to Covid for this current round of cancellations, these massive flight cancellations have been occurring since the summer, despite the industry receiving more than $50 billion in taxpayer bailouts to maintain staffing levels and keep flying. Meanwhile, passengers are entitled to receive a refund when an airline cancels their flight for any reason. But we are still hearing that some airlines are offering flight vouchers instead of refunds. This, on top of the millions in refunds that are still owed passengers from 2020 Covid-related flight cancellations. Enough is enough. Consumers shouldn’t continually get the short end when it comes to airline travel. [Join us as we call on Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg to back a Passenger Bill of Rights that includes uniform, transparent, enforceable rules]( for how airlines should accommodate and compensate passengers during flight delays and flight cancellations. [Sign the petition]( We get that the airlines can’t control the weather. And we all are sympathetic to businesses hit by COVID and this current Omicron outbreak. The problem is, as people have experienced first-hand, there are no clear, consistent, and well-communicated rules for passengers to follow when flights are cancelled. How is it decided who deserves a refund? A hotel voucher? A rebooked flight? And these meltdowns are compounded by the airlines’ failures to provide adequate customer service; to adequately staff call centers; and to provide prompt re-bookings and refunds. Consumers shouldn’t be expected to decipher pages of fine print in each airlines’ “Contract of Carriage” to figure out what to do. (Example: United Airlines’ contract is 67 pages long; Southwest’s is 47 pages). Nor should they have to spend hours on the phone fighting with customer service reps to get a refund, or navigate a confusing federal complaint process if they don’t get satisfaction. A clear and concise Airline Passenger Bill of Rights would bring order and fairness to chaotic airline travel. Consumers would know what to expect from airlines, and airlines could be easily held accountable for failing to comply. [Join us in calling for these clear, enforceable rules now!]( [Sign the petition]( As consumers, we can do more than just complain about the state of airline travel. We can join together and push for change! Please, after you sign the petition, forward this to friends and family so we can get effective rules that hold the airline industry accountable. Marcus JonesConsumer Reports [Unsubscribe from Consumer Reports action alerts.]( © 2021 Consumer Reports, 101 Truman Avenue, Yonkers, NY, 10703 [Contact Consumer Reports](