Travel

Airlines forced to issue refunds for canceled flights due to coronavirus restrictions


AIRLINES must refund passengers who have their flights cancelled because of coronavirus, the Department of Transportation (DoT) have confirmed.

The new regulations follow a number of complaints from travellers who have been issued credit notes or vouchers instead of cash refunds.

 Passengers must be given refunds by airlines who are forced to cancel flights due to coronavirus
Passengers must be given refunds by airlines who are forced to cancel flights due to coronavirusCredit: Reuters

Passengers have found themselves being refused refunds and instead offered vouchers for future travel, but cannot use them easily due to the ongoing crisis.

The Enforcement Notice, issued on April 3, confirmed: “Passengers should be refunded promptly when their scheduled flights are canceled or significantly delayed.

“Although the COVID-19 public health emergency has had an unprecedented impact on air travel, the airlines’ obligation to refund passengers for canceled or significantly delayed flights remains unchanged.”

The document added that similar measures have been followed during other national disruption, including 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina.

The DoT also said they would give airlines a chance to follow the new guidelines before enforcing prosecutions.

 Thousands of flights have been grounded by the coronavirus pandemic - although airlines are still only offering credit notes
Thousands of flights have been grounded by the coronavirus pandemic – although airlines are still only offering credit notesCredit: Reuters

They explained: “In recognition of the fact that the COVID-19 public health emergency has had major impacts on the airline industry, the Aviation Enforcement Office will exercise its prosecutorial discretion and provide carriers an opportunity to become compliant before taking further action.”

US airlines could face a complete shutdown of all passenger flights, amid fears that coronavirus cases could collapse the air traffic control network.

The voluntary shutdown reports from the Wall Street Journal came as COVID-19 cases in America passed 360,000 with more than 10,000 deaths.

Airlines have already all but halted international flights, and planned to cut domestic travel by 40 percent.

No official grounding decisions have been made yet, airlines and White House officials said, but millions of Americans are under stay-at-home orders.

American Airlines has slashed 55,000 flights and Delta has grounded half of its fleet as the coronavirus pandemic sparked a meltdown.

Last month, desperate Americans were reportedly shelling out as much as $20,000 for flight tickets in a scramble to reach the US following the ban on flights from Europe.

Coronavirus crisis declared ‘worse than 9/11’ for airlines by US treasury secretary Mnuchin





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