Advisory Committee on Aviation Consumer Protection :

Implementation of 2014 Recommendations

And Update on 2012 Recommendations

U.S . Department of Transportation

### Update on First Committee report (10

- 22

- 2012)

(Secretary’s report to Congress: 3

- 22

- 2013)

# Travelers With Disabilities

Recommendation : Encourage airlines and airports to take any voluntary steps that they believe will result in a better travel experience for travelers with disabilities

Action : Secretary LaHood sent 6

- 19

- 2013 letter to associations for airports and for U.S. and foreign air carriers.

Letter to carrier associations:

 obligation for nondiscriminatory service and access to air transportation [49 U.S.C 41705 and 14 CFR Part 382]

 voluntary steps

# Travelers With Disabilities, II

Recommendation : Encourage airline and airport personnel to work with TSA to assist travelers who are unable to sit during lengthy layovers without their specially made wheelchairs

Action : Secretary’s letter to carrier and airport associations asked them to urge members to do this.

Letter to carrier associations: current requirement for timely return of assistive devices consistent with security rules [382.125]

# Travelers With Disabilities, III

Recommendation : Work with airlines and airports to make their

kiosks and websites accessible.

Action : Final rule published 11

- 12

- 2013. Effective dates:

Websites: 12

- 12

- 2015

Kiosks: December 2016 through December 2022

# Travelers With Disabilities, IV

Recommendation : Require airports and airlines to ensure appropriate access to service animal relief areas at airports.

Action : Rulemaking proceeding is underway.

Proposed: minimum of one relief area per terminal, in the sterile

area.

Projected final rule date April 2015

# Discrimination Based on Race, Religion, National Origin, or Gender

Recommendation : Remind airlines of their obligation to avoid such discrimination and encourage them to stress this in initial and recurrent training.

Action : Secretary’s letter to carrier associations:

- referred to federal statutes that prohibit such discrimination (49 U.S.C. 40127 and 41310)

- stressed the benefits of training.

# Consumer Air Travel Complaints

Recommendation : DOT should provide complainants with contact information for the analyst handling the complaint, and indicate that this person can be contacted concerning the status of the complaint.

Action : Acknowledgment letters/emails have been revised.

- Automated acknowledgment: central email address, phone number. “One business day” reply.

- Manual acknowledgment: analyst’s name, contact info., case

number.

# Consumer Air Travel Complaints, II

Recommendation : DOT should outline the complaint handling process to
complainants.

- Advise if it is a potential violation

- Advise that complaint will be sent to carrier, 30/60 days to reply to consumer, contact DOT if you don’t receive a reply by then.

Action : Acknowledgment letters/emails now state:

- whether the subject of the complaint is covered by a DOT rule

- complaint will be sent to carrier for response to consumer

- 30/60

- day legal deadlines

# Enhanced Information About Air Travel

Consumer Rights

Recommendation : DOT should place its guidance on consumer rights and related FAQs in a prominent location on its website.

Action :

- New FAQs on the Aviation Consumer office page

- New links to that page from DOT home page and “Aviation”

page

# Understanding Terms Used in Contracts of Carriage and Customer Service Plans

Recommendation : DOT should:

- survey how airlines define certain terms

- place this information on DOT’s website

Action :

- Glossary was coordinated with A4A, has been posted on aviation

consumer office website

# Pricing Transparency

Recommendation : DOT should ensure transparency in air carrier pricing, including ancillary fees.

Action :

- Consumer Rule II (2011) requires airline websites to disclose fees for optional services

- Consumer Rule III (NPRM May 2014) addresses the issue of displaying ancillary fees through all sales channels (e.g., including GDSs)

# Ticket Agent Disclosures

Recommendation : Require all ticket agents, including OTAs, to

disclose, if this is the case, that:

- they don’t sell tickets for all airlines

- additional airlines may serve the route being searched

Action :

- Consumer Rule III addresses the issue of whether ticket agents, including OTAs, should be required to disclose that they don’t sell

tickets for all airlines if that is the case.

# Ticket Agent Disclosures

On

- Time Performance Reporting for All



## Airlines

Recommendation : Require on

- time performance data to be reported by all airlines, not simply those that account for 1% of domestic scheduled passenger revenue as is currently the case.

Action :

- Consumer Rule III addresses the issue of expanding the reporting

- carrier pool to include smaller carriers . Also: reports to

include domestic code

- share partner data.

# Second Committee report

(February 2014)

# Aviation Consumer Privacy

Recommendations :

DOT should:

• Take steps to make consumers aware they can file privacy complaints

with DOT

• Revise the DOT website to advise consumers how to do this.

Action:

DOT will post a prominent link on its aviation consumer website to:

• Information on DOT’s authority (section 41712)

• Complaint page, specifically inviting privacy complaints

# Aviation Consumer Privacy, II.

Recommendation :

Committee should facilitate a meeting among privacy groups, consumer groups, airlines, and others in the air travel distribution chain. Purpose: discuss issues that consumer and privacy groups have identified re airline, agency and GDS privacy practices.

Action:

Committee members Berg and Leocha agreed to facilitate a meeting regarding privacy practices among these stakeholders to discuss the issues in question.

# Aviation Consumer Rights

–

Informational Campaigns

Recommendation :

Update Fly Rights to make sure it is written in plain language and covers topics such as denied boarding, delayed/canceled flights, and baggage
problems.

Action:

We have reviewed Fly

- Rights to ensure that it is written in plain language. The publication includes chapters on denied boarding, delayed/canceled flights, and baggage problems. Within 90 days we
will ensure that all content is complete and up to date.

# Aviation Consumer Rights

– Informational Campaigns, II.

Recommendation :

Secretary should encourage airlines and airports to consider methods to enhance consumer access to information about their rights re air travel problems.

Action:

Secretary will write airline and airport associations asking them to encourage their members to voluntarily adopt methods to enhance such

access

– e.g. online and mobile capabilities.

# Customs Processing Times

Recommendation :

Secretary should send a letter to Secretary of Homeland Security and CBP

Commissioner:

• expressing appreciation for their efforts to address long Customs processing times at many U.S. airports by improving staffing models and adopting new technologies, and

• urging CBP to continue working with stakeholders to improve processing times and enhance transparency of CBP fees

Action:

Secretary will send such a letter within 90 days.

5

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- 2014 White House announcement: partnership with industry to expedite entry process, starting with 15 largest U.S. airports.