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.

5-22-2014 White House announcement: partnership with industry to expedite entry 

process, starting with 15 largest U.S. airports.