Pete Buttigieg travel tips

Fewer U.S. commercial flights were canceled in 2023 than at any point in at least the past decade, the Department of Transportation said this week.

The Senate Commerce Committee is adding language that could codify automatic refunds into law in its Federal Aviation Administration reauthorization bill. 

Frontier Airlines CEO Barry Biffle said he believed the U.S. airline industry doesn’t have the technology to comply with the latest Department of Transportation rules.  

After months of short-term funding to keep the Federal Aviation Administration afloat, Congress just unveiled a new reauthorization bill that covers everything from pilot training to family seating. 

Just days after the Department of Transportation released a rule requiring airlines to give automatic refunds after flight disruptions, Congress is set to vote on legislation that could impose more hurdles. 

Southwest Airlines' settlement terms with the Department of Transportation (DOT) are kicking in — leading to future customers receiving compensation if they experience a significant flight delay. As part of the settlement sparked from the airline’s 2022 holiday meltdown, Southwest has agreed to award $75 or more in transferrable vouchers to travelers who reach their destination at least three hours late due to an airline-caused disruption or cancellation, according to the DOT.

A new rule that will make automatic emergency braking systems (AEB) mandatory, including those that detect pedestrians, was finalized.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) on Wednesday took one of its strongest stances to date to protect the traveling consumer. The agency issued new rules mandating that all airlines flying to, through, or from the United States provide travelers with immediate cash refunds in the event of a cancellation or significant delay.

After the Biden administration announced it would crack down on junk fees and require automatic refunds, it was unclear how the rules would be enforced and applied to the airline industry.

American Airlines CEO Robert Isom said Thursday that certain aspects of a new federal government rule that would require airlines to provide automatic refunds were “gray.”

A new set of rules announced on Wednesday by the Department of Transportation are focused on righting some wrongs in the airline industry and providing extra consumer protection.

Airline delays and cancelations are frustrating enough, but having to spend time fighting with the airline to get compensation or getting stuck with an airline voucher you’ll never use makes the situation even worse. Fortunately, that’s all about to change—the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) just announced a new policy that requires airlines to automatically issue cash refunds to passengers when flights are canceled or significantly delayed.

Airlines will soon face far stricter rules for issuing refunds, the Biden administration said Wednesday.

Flight delays and cancellations are some of the most un-fun issues to deal with while traveling. Even more of a headache? Trying to get a refund from the airline for your airfare or for any extra fees you paid for, like checked baggage.

The Department of Transportation (DOT) issued new rules Wednesday requiring airlines to disclose all fees upfront as well as “promptly” provide refunds when they are owed. Under the new rule, travelers are entitled to a refund if an airline cancels or significantly changes their flight, like changing the departure or arrival time by more than 3 hours for domestic flights and 6 hours for international flights, the DOT shared with Travel + Leisure. Travelers can also demand a refund if an airline significantly delays their checked bags (more than 12 hours for domestic flights and 15 to 30 hours for international flights), or if the airline doesn’t provide the ancillary services a passenger purchased like Wi-Fi, seat selection, and in-flight entertainment. Airlines will now be required to issue a refund automatically without a passenger having to request one. The refund must be in the form of cash or the original form of payment, and airlines cannot substitute travel vouchers or other forms of compensation unless the passenger willingly accepts it.

On Wednesday, the Biden administration announced two new rules for airlines in its years-long war on so-called “junk fees.” The White House says the new rules will help consumers save over half a billion dollars every year that they are currently overpaying in airline fees.

The Transportation Department on Wednesday announced new rules taking aim at two of the most difficult and annoying issues in air travel: obtaining refunds and encountering surprise fees late in the booking process.

Under a blazing morning Las Vegas sun, billionaire Wes Edens and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg threw a party this week to mark the start of construction of Brightline West, the first private high-speed railway in the U.S., driving yellow spikes into a section of track.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg on Tuesday announced a new partnership with more than a dozen state attorneys general to investigate consumer complaints against airlines.

The Department of Transportation announced Tuesday it would partner with 18 state attorney generals to investigate airline consumer violations.

The U.S. Department of Transportation will hold a public hearing on airline frequent flyer programs, the agency said Monday, part of an investigation into potential unfair or deceptive practices.

The trade group representing the U.S. airline industry is asking the federal government to pause the expansion of passenger flights to China due to the “existing harmful anti-competitive policies of the Chinese government.”