Struggling U.S. airlines will get more freedom to stop flying to some U.S. cities amid scant demand from passengers who've filed thousands of complaints to U.S. regulators about carrier refund policies, the Transportation Department said Tuesday.
The department said it would allow carriers to suspend flights to more cities, a change that could result in some locations being served by only one airline, according to a notice posted on the department's website on Tuesday. Under the change, airlines can seek exemptions for as many as five airports or 5% of the locations where they're required to fly, whichever is greater, the department said in a notice posted on its website.
Separately, the department issued its second legal notice to airlines since April, warning them about their obligations to refund the cost of tickets in some circumstances as a dramatic increase in consumer complaints poured in. The department received 25,000 reports of alleged violations in April and March, a more than eight-fold increase over normal rates, the department said in a press release.
The volume of complaints is "unprecedented," which has prompted the department to closely examine the issue, Secretary Elaine Chao said in a press release.
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"The department is asking all airlines to revisit their customer service policies and ensure they are as flexible and considerate as possible to the needs of passengers who face financial hardship during this time," Chao said.
Even as some parts of the U.S. begin planning to reopen their economies, low demand from passengers has pushed many carriers to ask the department for permission to stop flying to several U.S. cities under minimum service requirements airlines agreed to in exchange for the $50 billion U.S. government bailout of the troubled sector.
DELTA CUTS FLIGHTS
Delta Air Lines said Friday it plans to halt service at 10 secondary U.S. airports as it consolidates services.
Atlanta-based Delta said that as of today, it will suspend operations at Chicago Midway; at Oakland, Hollywood Burbank and Long Beach, Calif.; T.F. Green in Rhode Island; New York Stewart and Westchester County in White Plains, N.Y.; Akron-Canton in Ohio; Manchester-Boston in New Hampshire; and Newport News/Williamsburg airports in Virginia.
The services will be suspended until at least September, according to Delta, which said it is looking at other opportunities to take similar measures in additional markets.
The airline said it will reaccommodate customers whose flights are affected by the suspension of service.
It continues to serve airports near each of those locations.
More than 90% of passengers have stopped flying and airlines have pulled down about three-quarters of flights since the start of the pandemic.
U.S. law requires airlines to refund the cost of a ticket in cash if the airline cancels a flight, and carriers are permitted to issue vouchers for future travel in instances in which the passenger opted not to fly. While airlines are following the law, carriers would go bankrupt if they had to make additional refunds, Nicholas Calio, president of the trade group Airlines for America testified before the Senate last week. In its refund notice, the department warned airlines against misleading passengers about the complex nuances of the law and changing their policies retroactively.
CROWDED FLIGHT
Separately, United Airlines said Monday that, starting next week through June 30, it will allow passengers to rebook or receive a travel credit if they end up on flights that are closer to full capacity.
The announcement comes after a passenger's photo of a crowded United flight over the weekend went viral.
Ethan Weiss, a San Francisco-based cardiologist, says he and 25 other medical professionals found themselves on a jam-packed flight from Newark to San Francisco -- despite a previous assurance from United that social distancing measures would be in place.
"I guess United is relaxing their social distancing policy these days? Every seat full on this 737," Weiss tweeted, sharing a picture of the crowded plane.
Weiss's now-viral Twitter thread detailing his experience sparked outcry on social media, leaving many concerned that social distancing efforts on airplanes would be abandoned as the country continues reopening and more people begin traveling again. In recent days, similar complaints about unexpectedly congested flights have come from passengers on other major carriers including American Airlines and Delta.
United said Monday would be "implementing additional, temporary changes to promote social distancing in the air and on the ground."
In an emailed statement on Sunday, a United spokeswoman stressed that beyond rolling out social distancing measures, the airline has taken a number of other safety precautions amid the ongoing pandemic.
"We've overhauled our cleaning and safety procedures and implemented a new boarding and deplaning process to promote social distancing," spokeswoman Kimberly Gibbs said. Gibbs added that "all passengers and employees were asked to wear face coverings, consistent with our new policy."
Information for this article was contributed by Ryan Beene and Alan Levin of Bloomberg News, by Kelly Yamanouchi of Cox News Service and by Allyson Chiu and Steven Goff of The Washington Post.
Business on 05/13/2020