WASHINGTON — Looking for a simple refund when your flight stalls out on the tarmac? Hoping to see the total price of a ticket before you hand over your credit card number? Want to guarantee your six-year-old sits next to you without ponying up an extra fee? Those traveler safeguards—already fragile in the United States—could soon disappear from your booking screen if the airline industry gets its way in Washington.
Why the Airlines Are Lobbying the Department of Transportation
Airlines for America, the trade group representing the nation’s largest carriers, recently submitted a 93-page petition asking the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to roll back several consumer-protection rules. The request targets three pillars that many passengers rely on:
- Automatic cash refunds when flights are canceled or experience lengthy delays.
- “Full fare” advertising that forces airlines to show taxes and mandatory fees in the initial price.
- Complimentary family seating for parents traveling with young children.
Under current regulations, a significant schedule change or cancellation requires carriers to reimburse travelers in cash, unless the customer voluntarily accepts a voucher. If the petition prevails, vouchers—often saddled with blackout dates and tight expiration windows—could become the default remedy, forcing travelers to chase future flights rather than reclaim their money.
What’s Already Been Rolled Back
The DOT, now led by Acting Secretary Sean Duffy, has already scrapped a Biden-era proposal that would have paid passengers up to $775 for extensive delays. The agency said the revision aligns with the Trump administration’s broader deregulation agenda. Consumer advocates argue that fewer rules rarely translate into better service. Last year, U.S. airlines reported profits topping $6 billion, with up to 15 percent of that coming from à la carte fees, such as checked bags and priority boarding. Eliminating upfront pricing disclosures could allow those extras to be hidden deeper in the booking path, reviving the bait-and-switch tactics that online fare comparison tools were designed to expose.
How the United States Stacks Up Against Europe
Across the Atlantic, European Union law requires airlines to compensate travelers for long delays and cancellations while mandating fare transparency. Low-cost carriers like Ryanair and easyJet continue to thrive under these strict rules, and some analysts attribute the EU’s stronger consumer framework to lower overall delay rates. Without a financial penalty for stranding customers, critics argue, U.S. carriers have less incentive to maintain on-time operations. Christopher Migliaccio, a consumer-rights attorney, warned that removing the U.S. rules would mean “consumers will face many more surprise charges … and less protection against refundable purchases,” Migliaccio said in a USA Today interview.
Billions in Public Aid, Fewer Public Protections
The timing of the lobbying push hasn’t gone unnoticed. Airlines received more than $50 billion in federal payroll support during the pandemic to prevent mass layoffs. Having accepted that taxpayer lifeline, the same companies are now asking regulators to lighten their obligations to the flying public. Critics claim the move amounts to socializing risk while privatizing profit.
What Travelers Could Lose—And How to Fight Back
1. Cash Refunds vs. Travel Vouchers
If DOT softens the refund mandate, passengers whose flights are canceled may be offered airline credits instead. Vouchers typically expire within a year and are often only redeemable by the original traveler, rendering them useless for many infrequent flyers.
2. Transparent Pricing
Today’s “all-in” fare display lets travelers compare apples to apples on metasearch engines. Rolling back the requirement would allow carriers to advertise a base fare that looks affordable, only to reveal taxes and unavoidable fees in later steps—muddying comparison shopping and complicating budget planning.
3. Family Seating
Until recently, most large carriers charged parents extra to guarantee adjacent seats for young children; DOT pressed airlines to waive those fees earlier this year. The proposed rollback would put that convenience back on the chopping block, forcing parents either to split up in the cabin or pay premium-seat charges.
Tips for Travelers Worried About Deregulation
- Pay with a credit card. Card issuers often side with consumers in disputes, giving you an additional path to recover funds if cash refunds disappear.
- Screenshot everything. Keep records of schedule changes, delay notifications, and fare quotes in case you need to argue for a refund later.
- Book point-to-point itineraries. Separate tickets can complicate missed-connection claims, but in a looser regulatory climate, they may also help you avoid airline-imposed rebooking hurdles.
- Monitor DOT’s public docket. The agency must collect comments before finalizing changes. Submitting feedback is free and takes only a few minutes online.
- Consider trip-insurance riders. Read the fine print—some policies kick in for delays as short as three hours, offering a private-sector safety net if government protections fade.
What Happens Next in Washington
DOT officials say they will follow statutory requirements before amending any rule, but Congress holds the larger purse strings. Lawmakers could pressure the agency to either preserve or dismantle existing safeguards when the next Federal Aviation Administration funding bill comes up for renewal. Should the industry succeed, analysts predict budget carriers will quickly copy legacy-airline policies. With pent-up demand pushing passenger numbers back to pre-pandemic highs, the battle lines are clear: airlines want freedom to monetize every inch of the cabin, while travelers wish for a clear price, a guaranteed seat for their child, and a refund when things go wrong. For now, the best defense is vigilance. Keep your receipts, know your rights, and stay tuned—because the next time your flight gets scrubbed at the gate, the rules for what you’re owed may have shifted overnight.
