Europe May Impose Onerous Condition On 737 MAX Return To Service

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About Gary Leff

Gary Leff is one of the foremost experts in the field of miles, points, and frequent business travel - a topic he has covered since 2002. Co-founder of frequent flyer community InsideFlyer.com, emcee of the Freddie Awards, and named one of the "World's Top Travel Experts" by Conde' Nast Traveler (2010-Present) Gary has been a guest on most major news media, profiled in several top print publications, and published broadly on the topic of consumer loyalty. More About Gary »

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  1. While not Expedia group OTAs specifically, there are a number of agencies who are processing refunds from the airlines for cash, and then offering “agency credit” to the traveler. The traveler gets pissed off at the airline, but the airline has already done a cash refund – it has just been pocketed by the agent.

  2. Re: Expedia. I don’t see how they are breaking the rules so to speak. The “enforcement notice” (har har) from April specifically applies to carriers. In fact, it doesn’t mention (O)TAs even once. So I would interpret this guidance narrowly: UA is required to refund Expedia, but Expedia is not required to refund you. It doesn’t make a ton of sense but many regulations don’t!

    https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2020-04/Enforcement%20Notice%20Final%20April%203%202020_0.pdf

  3. @Sexy_kitten7 see DOT’s May guidance

    https://www.transportation.gov/sites/dot.gov/files/2020-05/Refunds%20-%20Second%20Enforcement%20Notice%20%28May%2012%202020%29.pdf

    “3. What rights do passengers have if they purchased their airline ticket from an online travel
    agency?

    Ticket agents are required to make “proper” refunds when service cannot be performed as contracted on a flight to, within, or from the United States. The Department interprets the requirement for ticket agents to provide “proper” refunds to include providing refunds in any instance when the following conditions are met: (i) an airline cancels or significantly changes a flight, (ii) an airline acknowledges that a consumer is entitled to a refund, and (iii) passenger funds are possessed by a ticket agent.”

  4. No new Boeing planes should be certified until the current management explains how they will change the culture back to an engineering one and provide evidence of the same. Why should ordinary passengers risk their lives for Boeing exec stock options?

  5. What should one do if the travel agency refuses to reimburse, or even acknowledge, a refund request? Complain to DOT about the airline, even though it’s the travel agency? Chargeback? Or any other suggestion.

  6. But Gary, the real question is: do the Expedia dancers get to keep their tips after a performance?

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