President Joe Biden rolled out two reforms Monday that he claimed will “make air travel better for all Americans.”
The president had previously directed the Department of Transportation to try to lower costs for families by cracking down on excess booking fees, and he said Monday that the administration will propose a rule later in the year requiring all airlines to compensate fliers for the cost of meals, hotels, taxis, rideshares, and rebooking fees “when they’re the ones to blame” for canceled or delayed flights.
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“The airline industry is a key part of our economy, and they’ve been critical partners in a number of important initiatives from requiring employees to get COVID vaccines and addressing the supply chain problems over the last couple of years. But I know how frustrated many of you are with the service you get from your U.S. airlines,” Biden stated in remarks at the White House Monday. “A year ago, almost no major airline guaranteed any compensation beyond the price of the ticket if they caused the delay. The delay was their fault. No reimbursement for a hotel after a canceled flight or a meal after a delayed flight. But then, we challenged them to do better.
“Later this year, my administration will propose a historic, new rule that will make it mandatory, not voluntary, but mandatory, for all U.S. airlines to compensate you with meals, hotels, taxis, rideshares, rebooking, food, fees in cash, miles, and/or travel vouchers whenever they’re the ones to blame for the cancellation and delay, and that’s all on top of refunding the cost of your ticket.”
The president also announced the launch of a new Transportation Department website, flightsright.gov, where fliers can compare airline reimbursement policies.
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“I hope and I expect the Department of Transportation to move as quickly as it can to put this new rule in place,” Biden continued. “It matters. I know these things may not matter to the very wealthy, but they matter to most middle-class families and people struggling to get the cost of — in the first place to get in that airline.”
You can watch Biden’s remarks in full below.
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