Travelers United’s President reflects on the dearth of change in aviation regulations About nine months ago I participated in a discussion about the regulatory approach of the new (at that time) administration consumer issues. We considered rules finalized or...
Hotel resort fees were created to deceive consumers Few travel fees are as resented as mandatory hotel fees, also known as resort fees. Starting in about 1998, these hated fees were created by a group of hotels in Las Vegas in order to allow room rates at some hotels...
Current U.S. travel and border policies for COVID-19 protection are broken and failing the nation. The U.S. border has been closed to citizens of the European Union and the United Kingdom for more than 540 days. Our COVID border protection system has been open to...
DOT’s missions are passenger protection and to keep the aviation system safe. Secretary Buttigieg attended a consumer group meeting with America’s top advocacy groups in late July. For the first time in more than a decade, major consumer organizations...
U.S. Passport applications take as long as four and a half months to process. Planning to travel internationally? Check your passport immediately. Americans can travel internationally again. While COVID-19 border entry requirements have been substantially eased,...
With the stroke of his pen, the DOT Secretary can improve travel for passengers Travelers United sees four areas where the Secretary gets airline consumer wins with the stroke of his pen. We want Secretary Buttigieg to start with these basic travel changes. We do not...
These accomplishments have been achieved by working closely with our members, national media, the travel industry, the Department of Transportation (DOT), Congress and many other agencies.
– Removal of restaurant fees from DC area eateries — this is an ongoing project
– Creation of DOT Dashboard to outline consumer rights after cancellation of a flight
– Bi-partisan bill to eliminate hotel resort fees introduced into House of Representatives
– Creation of the Advisory Committee for Aviation Consumer Protections
– Advertised airfares now include airfare plus, mandatory taxes and fees
– Lost/damaged/delayed luggage compensation limit increased to $3,800
– Passengers have 24 hours to change or cancel their nonrefundable tickets without penalty
– Once an airfare is purchased, that airfare and ancillary fees cannot be increased
– Families flying together act passed by Congress that requires family members 13 years of age and younger to sit with other family members at no additional cost.
