NORFOLK, Va. — Chances are you or someone you know is boarding a flight in the coming weeks.
While many book ahead of time, no one books for cancelations or delays.
Following a very busy summer for airlines, people experienced more cancelations and delays than in years past, and they are fed up. So much so, the government is taking action.
The News 3 Problem Solvers wanted to learn more about what's being done so Erin Miller turned to Herb Weisbaum, Contributing Editor at Checkbook.org. He said it’s all about transparency.
“The Department of Transportation is saying that if you have fees that could drive up the cost of that plane ticket above the airfare, you need to disclose it at the very beginning, not at the end, by the time somebody gets to checkout,” said Weisbaum.
He is referring to things like seat selection and carry-on and checked bag fees.
“The airlines don't want you to know this because it does drive up that initial price, you see, and they're making a ton of money on baggage fees," he said.
According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, airlines made $5.3 billion on luggage fees last year. Frontier, for example, charges for carry-on bags whereas Delta does not.
Now, what about delays and cancelations? The DOT created the Airline Customer Service Dashboard 'to ensure the traveling public has easy access to information.'
Weisbaum said, "the dashboard is a step in the right direction because it shows you what the airlines say they will do for you in certain situations."
Jason Miyares is one of several state Attorney Generals asking for the states to have more power to protect consumers rather than solely follow the federal rule.
“If necessary, give us the authority as the state attorney generals in our respective states to handle some of these consumer complaints," Miyares said.
For now, flight experts advise you to book trips up to six months in advance and take flights earlier in the day.
