Airline Fines Fall Even As Complaints Rise
Claiming it had better things to do, the Department of Transportation issued only $1.2 million in airline fines last year, even as consumer complaints over fees and delays continued to rise. Five years ago, the agency issued over $8 million in fines, but now, they say they're too busy working on "consumer rulemaking" and "consumer forums" to ensure that airlines honor consumer protection laws.
The Department of Transportation is dogged by a confidence problem, unwilling to accept that they have the power to defend consumers.
Consumer advocates complain the DOT has taken a very narrow view of what it can enforce, focusing primarily on whether airlines and travel companies include fees and surcharges in advertised fares and whether they comply with disability-access requirements. Under federal law, DOT can investigate "unfair and deceptive practices," but because the U.S. doesn't have "passengers' rights" legislation, there aren't many specific regulations on consumer rights in air travel."With the exception of some laws and rules on handicapped access, it's been pretty much the dead letter," said Paul Hudson, executive director of the Aviation Consumer Action Project. "They ignore consumers."
Even better, the few fines the agency does issue have little effect.
DOT has historically taken a lenient stance on fines against airlines, typically forgiving half of assessed penalties if airlines or travel companies don't get caught in the same transgression again for a year. Additional amounts are often forgiven if the airline spends money on training employees on policies such as handling disabled passengers or even reprogramming computer systems to properly display fuel surcharges and other airline-imposed fees charged to all customers.Of the $1.2 million the DOT assessed in fines last year, for example, the most the agency will collect is $527,500.
Fantastic! What consumers really need is a Passenger's Bill of Rights to help them fight abusive airlines. The incoming administration could also help by installing people in the Department of Transportation who believe that the agency is there to defend not just airlines, but passengers too.
While Fliers Fume, Fewer Fines for Airlines [The Wall Street Journal]
(Photo: petervanallen)
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Comments:
So this explains the $1,200,000 "DOT Fine Fee" I was charged on my last flight.
Consumer protection...
ur doin it wrong.
Best. Picture. Ever.
Additional amounts are often forgiven if
the airline... reprograms computer systems to properly display fuel surcharges and other airline-imposed fees charged to all customers.
So the fines are forgiven if they agree to do the things that they should have been doing?
How come I don't get this option when I get a
speeding ticket?
Airlines are satan spawned. if God had wanted us to fly He would have created us with that inherent ability. These fools are paid off by the airlines to look the other way - whatever else can this possibly represent? Corruption at this level is overlooked while low level (ie. mafia level) corruption is delved into deeply and punished.
Bullshit is as bullshit does. What did YOU do today? I saved 4 lives, and vastly improved about 20 more. Yeah, I feel like patting myself on my back, no one else is doing it to me, in fact, all you fanboiz got nObama elected and he is gonna take money out of my hands, out of my family coffers. you can all go to heck, I say.
Anyone who has flown the last 15 years has watched the airlines DEvolve into cattle cars. They have taken pillows, blankets, snacks,magazines, etc.. away. The only thing left is the actual seats. Those may be replaced with long wooden benches with ropes as seat belts soon. That is, until they decide the ropes are too expensive, too.
one more week, one more week
*grumble* wish I could fine the DOT...
@banmojo: ...there are no words. How about "not all airlines are created equal"? How about "Congrats for trying for dragging Obama into an issue that has absolutely zero to do with him"? How about "How'd you find your way onto the internet in the first place?!"
@savdavid: Not on non-US flights it hasn't. Fly the Asian skies- the local airlines still know how to take care of the passenger.
@banmojo: Why don't you go ahead, and try taking care of my mentally and physically disabled sister with extremely limited public assistance (because there basically is none), and see how much money is left in your hands?
When your human decency kicks in, and you stop being so self centered, I'd love to hear what you have to say. Until then, go back to your corner.
They do have better things to do. Polish their resumes once their saggy, politically-affiliated, industry-hugging, consumer-despising rotund behinds are ejected from their cushy taxpayer funded offices.
Makes me wish we had a transition team staffed by the same one that handled the Lenin/Stalin transition...