The Obama administration passed some new rules which should make your travel experience just a little bit better. Here’s the main changes according to the WSJ:
The Obama administration said Wednesday it would start requiring airlines to refund baggage fees when luggage is lost as part of new rules that also target ticket surcharges and lengthy tarmac delays involving international flights. Airlines will now be required to refund any fee for carrying a bag that ends up being lost, the Transportation Department said. Airlines are already required to compensate passengers for lost or damaged belongings.
Also, the new rules impose penalties for international flights that fail to get off the ground at U.S. airports within four hours of when passengers board the plane. They also require carriers to ensure that passengers get food and water beyond two hours of being stuck on the tarmac. Similar passenger protections already apply to domestic flights.
Food and water is nice, but if we’re stuck on the tarmac for two hours we need a new plane and tickets to vacation from a vacation.
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Yea they are required to compensate people for lost luggage, but the compensation is limited to something like $250. That’s Continental Airlines told me when they lost my luggage carrying over $5k worth clothes and shoes. They tried to buy me off with a complementary travel kit with one of those cheap ass toothbrushes. I was so pissed. I had to buy all new clothes then my bag arrives on the last day of my trip. So I spent $2500 on clothes that I wouldn’t have had to spend had hey not lost my luggage. NO COMPENSATION. They fucking suck and so does this, it’s not enough.
Well, I finally hear some positive news related to the actions taken by our Department of Transportation. I personally think that these measures should have been instigated earlier instead of molesting the lives of passengers with those scanning devices and unreasonable controls.