The U.S. Department of Transportation has launched a new page on its website with information on consumer protections for airline travelers.
The page includes links to information on travelers' rights during tarmac delays, requirements for flight delay notifications, regulations prohibiting air fare increases after purchase, the 24-hour grace period after ticket reservations, and compensation requirements for lost, delayed or damaged bags.
For travelers with disabilities, the page also details requirements for airline accommodations.
The page also describes the requirements airlines must follow when a flight is overbooked and the compensation required for passengers who are involuntarily bumped. It notes: "DOT requires each airline to give all passengers who are bumped involuntarily a written statement describing their rights and explaining how the carrier decides who gets bumped."
Also included is a link to an online form to file complaints about airline service to the DOT's aviation consumer protection division.
In the wake of incidents including a United Airlines passenger dragged from a flight, some have advocated for additional regulation of airlines in areas such as overbooking. Delta Air Lines has pushed back on that effort.
Others have advocated for other consumer protections. Take our poll:
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