Safety and security, both in the air and on a more personal level are of the greatest importance; there are a lot of aspects of air travel that may be overlooked when organizing your flight. The needs of the travelers are the most crucial, and airlines all across the planet are now going to be held more accountable for how they treat their travelers.
Whether you’re traveling, by means of private aircraft charter, or commercially, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has recently implemented new rules to assure passengers that their safety and convenience is of the upmost priority. Going into effect on April 25th, 2011, the Federal Register is implementing new policies to tighten up airline security and keep both staff and travelers relaxed while they travel.
Going forwards, the updated guidelines are very detailed, but cover multiple problems and will be strictly enforced.
The following are all specific points of the ruling:
- New Tarmac Requirements- Ensuring that extended delays on the tarmac for international, commercial and business jet charter are moitored by monthly reports and kept to a minimum.
- Customer Service Plans-Forcing all airlines to communicate with their travelers regarding cancellations, baggage discrepancies, reservation policies, accommodations for disabled travelers, lower attainable fares, delay notifications, and more.
- Website Requirements- Each international airline must utilize contingency plans for customer service policies, extended delays, and other information mentioned on their websites.
- Addressing Consumer Issues- Where paired with other factors, enforces a specific one month policy for written confirmations of the reported issue and two months for a reply.
- Information Regarding Delays, Cancellations, and Diversions-Forcing the airlines to communicate any alterations in flight schedule within a half hour of uncovering the delay or issue.
- Over-bookings and Denied Boarding Compensation- Regulating the process among various airlines and changing the formula by which compensation to the passenger is refunded.
- Full Fare Advertising and Fees Rule Changes- Requiring airlines to feature “round-trip” prices and “one-way” prices, minimizing the confusing phrasing in respect to the cost of individual trips and deals where multiple flights are accounted for.
- Baggage Allowance and Fee Policies- Administering that all information in reference to baggage policies and fees are plainly featured on the airline’s web page and are known by the passenger.
Although these may feel like more operational regulations, they are in place to ensure airlines are running steadily and more efficiently, allowing for more serious concerns to be addressed. The needs of the travelers are the most pivotal, and once those needs are met, they will feel more relaxed and appreciated for their business, allowing for the airline to spend more time on improving other factors of their air travel experience.
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