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U.S. fines airlines more than $7M for not providing refunds

nytimes.com

31–40 of 242 posts

Re: U.S. fines airlines more than $7M for not providing refunds

#32
I spent $600 on a flight from London, to San Diego. There's a stopover in New York - but the connecting flight is delayed for six hours. At this point it's 10pm, but they get a plane, we board, we're actually taxing to the runway... and then the flight is canceled. Turns out it would arrive too late in San Diego for noise regulation. We all get off, I get another flight with a different company next thing in the morning.

Few days later I hit them up for a refund on the canceled flight. They're happy to refund the NY to SD leg... to a tune of $24. Turns out their internal valuation of a $600 flight is $576 for the first 8h, then $24 for the last 6h. Lol. JetBlue man.

Re: U.S. fines airlines more than $7M for not providing refunds

#33

I am relieved to see that regulators appear aware of the game that Frontier seems to be playing. I flew to Denver recently and didn't need to travel heavy so I went with their cheap fare. The flight from SFO was fine. The flight from DEN to SFO was extremely frustrating. We arrived at DEN early because we got a text message warning us about major TSA delays. Literally the moment we were about to board Frontier change…

> major TSA delays. This infuriates me. Last week I was stuck in line for TSA for an hour and a half at Sea-Tac. The TSA clowns had one guy looking at the X-rays of luggage at the speed of molasses. Am I to believe that the TSA, FAA and airlines can't coordinate to determine when gluts of incoming passengers are expected? Bullshit. Why didn't they have more TSA workers on shift? Because they don't give a shit, nothin…

It strikes me as remarkable that, in a pandemic which killed several hundred airliners worth of Americans, a lot of fuss was made about mask-related impositions, while TSA-related impositions that save a number of lives that's close to zero have become entirely normal. All War On Terror and no War On Viruses.

Re: U.S. fines airlines more than $7M for not providing refunds

#35
post #26
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are the scum of the universe. If you don't pay for your seats, they will separate you and your party even if there are available seats together, because they know you'll shell out cash to fix it. (I think American does this now too, and possibly others but I haven't confirmed they also do it when there's available seats).

I'm actually fairly upset when airlines _don't_ do this. They're just leaving money on the table. If you want to pick your seat, pay for it.

So you only get to sit with your loved ones if you have enough money? That's not a world I want to have any part in.

Re: U.S. fines airlines more than $7M for not providing refunds

#36
post #25

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> major TSA delays. This infuriates me. Last week I was stuck in line for TSA for an hour and a half at Sea-Tac. The TSA clowns had one guy looking at the X-rays of luggage at the speed of molasses. Am I to believe that the TSA, FAA and airlines can't coordinate to determine when gluts of incoming passengers are expected? Bullshit. Why didn't they have more TSA workers on shift? Because they don't give a shit, nothin…

> threatening you with federal charges and huge fines if you "verbally abuse" the TSA workers It's probably unconstitutional, but no one has tested it in court yet as far as I'm aware.

I don't think anyone wants to be detained by the TSA and put on the no-fly list to call a TSA agent a fascist

Re: U.S. fines airlines more than $7M for not providing refunds

#37

I spent $600 on a flight from London, to San Diego. There's a stopover in New York - but the connecting flight is delayed for six hours. At this point it's 10pm, but they get a plane, we board, we're actually taxing to the runway... and then the flight is canceled. Turns out it would arrive too late in San Diego for noise regulation. We all get off, I get another flight with a different company next thing in the morn…

If you're "departing from an airport in the UK on any airline" then I'm pretty sure the legal minimum compensation is more than that:

* https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers/resolving-travel-problems/d...

* https://www.caa.co.uk/passengers/resolving-travel-problems/d...

It sounds a bit confusing as to whether you were cancelled or delayed, or accepted an offer etc. but I wouldn't accept $24...

Re: U.S. fines airlines more than $7M for not providing refunds

#38
post #35
post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'm actually fairly upset when airlines _don't_ do this. They're just leaving money on the table. If you want to pick your seat, pay for it.

So you only get to sit with your loved ones if you have enough money? That's not a world I want to have any part in.

You only get to fly to see your loved ones if you have enough money too.

Ancillary revenue like seat assignment fees makes it so that more people can afford to see their loved ones.

Re: U.S. fines airlines more than $7M for not providing refunds

#39
post #26
post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They are the scum of the universe. If you don't pay for your seats, they will separate you and your party even if there are available seats together, because they know you'll shell out cash to fix it. (I think American does this now too, and possibly others but I haven't confirmed they also do it when there's available seats).

I'm actually fairly upset when airlines _don't_ do this. They're just leaving money on the table. If you want to pick your seat, pay for it.

[deleted]

Re: U.S. fines airlines more than $7M for not providing refunds

#40
post #9

What a bargain for the airlines. A 1% penalty and they probably saved at least 5% in financing costs.

To be fair, it does say that the penalties will ratchet up if the airlines don't correct their behavior.

Why not bring the hammer down so they won't do it again for at least 30 years? No need to spend time and regulatory attention on them, that way.
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