Advisory Committee on Aviation Consumer Protection :



# Implementation of

October 2012

Recommendations

U.S . Department of Transportation

# • Committee report: 10

- 22

- 2012



# • Secretary’s report to Congress:

3

- 22

- 20133 

##  Travelers With Disabilities

 Discrimination

 Consumer Air Travel Complaints

 Enhanced Information about Rights

 Understanding Contract Terms

 Pricing Transparency



##  Ticket Agent Disclosures

 Ontime Performance Reporting for

All Carriers

## 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 will send l etter 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

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 will ask 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

Recommendation : Work with airlines and airports

to make their kiosks and websites accessible.

Action : Rulemaking proceeding is underway.

[SNPRM, RIN 2105

- AD96]

## Travelers With Disabilities

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

areas at airports.

Action : Rulemaking proceeding is underway. [NPRM, RIN 2105

- AD91]

Proposed: minimum of one relief area per

terminal, in the sterile area.

## 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

will:

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

- stress 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.

- Case number automatically inserted

- Includes central email address, phone number.

“One busines day” reply.

## Consumer Air Travel Complaints

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 :

- The Secretary’s letter to carrier associations:
industry working group.

- Glossary will be posted on DOT website

## Pricing Transparency

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

Action :

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

- Consumer Rule III will address 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 will address 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.

## 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 will address the issue of expanding the reporting

- carrier pool to include

smaller carriers.