Arizona Congressman Ruben Gallego has thrown his support behind a bill aimed at enhancing airline transparency and ensuring passengers are compensated in cash, not just vouchers, for service failures. Gallego, an original backer of the Enhancing Transparency from Airlines (ETA) Act, is pushing to put money back in the pockets of Arizona travelers inconvenienced by airline disruptions. "Arizonans shouldn't have to jump through hoops just to get the money an airline owes them," Gallego stated, expressing his concern over the frequent travel delays and cancellations affecting nearly a quarter of America's flights this year.
His advocacy comes amid a year where the nation has seen 126,000 flights delayed, and another 20,000 canceled. Instead of providing full refunds, airlines have been inclined to issue vouchers, which according to statements obtained by Gallego's office, are seldom used by passengers. The ETA Act would require airlines to issue direct refunds— not vouchers— following significant disruptions in service, including a major delay, three hours for a domestic flight, six hours for an international flight, or cancellations.
Moreover, the proposed legislation seeks not only to reimburse ticket costs but also other ancillary fees paid for services like checked baggage, Wi-Fi, and reserved seating that go undelivered. By entrenching recent rule changes from the Department of Transportation, the ETA Act intends to establish a more permanent safeguard that prevents future administrations from overturning these rules on a simple whim.
This proposal by Rep. Gallego is a continuation of his campaign against deceptive consumer practices. The ETA Act builds upon his previous effort with the Junk Fee Prevention Act, focusing on the elimination of burdensome, oftentimes hidden fees consumers encounter across various services including ticket sales, hotel bookings, and live entertainment. As per the requirements of the bill, companies must disclose the full price of services upfront, and airlines, specifically, are prohibited from charging extra fees for seating assignments when an adult is accompanying a child.
