U.S. DOT To Expand Passenger Protections in April
The U.S.

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) expects to issue a final rule designed to further consumer protections against tarmac delays of more than three hours and expand other passenger rights initiatives in April, a department spokesman told AIN this week.

The new rule would add several new dimensions to the so-called tarmac delay rule, enacted last April 29, including expanding its scope to foreign airlines and requiring “contingency plans” for small and non-hub airports. The rule would also require all airlines operating aircraft holding 30 or more passenger seats on scheduled and charter flights to or from the U.S. to report tarmac delay data to the DOT. Under the current rule, the department collects such data only for scheduled domestic flights of the 18 largest U.S. airlines.