The US Department of Transportation plans to raise penalties for airlines violating consumer rights after the air travel chaos in the country experienced over Christmas and the New Year.
From December 23-30, almost 25 000 flights were cancelled in the US, mostly as a result of a winter storm in the Midwest and Eastern US, while a substantial number of cancellations came from Southwest Airlines.
Simple Flying reports that, according to numerous reports and Southwest Airlines employees, the almost 15 000 cancelled flights in one week came because of old technologies that leadership had not replaced.
The DOT's Office of Aviation Consumer Protection (OACP) stated on its website that a robust enforcement programme was needed to make sure passengers' consumer rights were not being violated by airlines.
"To confront the challenges faced by consumers, OACP believes it is necessary to recalibrate the penalties imposed on airlines and ticket agents for violations of consumer protection. OACP intends to hold the regulated entities accountable and deter future misconduct by seeking higher penalties that would not be viewed as simply a cost of doing business," it said.
Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the DOT has received record consumer complaints against airlines.
