Airlines would have to give out refunds for busted Wi-Fi under proposed rule

Under new rules proposed by the Biden administration, airlines would have to give refunds for services they didn't provide. The upfront fees for changing or canceling your flight and for checked or carry-on baggage would have to be disclosed.

The new rules are part of a slate of changes the US Department of Transportation is proposing to make flying more transparent and consumer-friendly. The administration wants to make air travel more competive.

In recent years, airlines have begun charging passengers for perks that used to be included in the price of a ticket, such as checking a bag and selecting a seat.

Before buying a ticket, airline passengers should be aware of the true cost of their flights.

Pete Buttigieg, US transportation secretary, said that airline passengers deserve to know the full cost of their flights before buying a ticket. Travelers will be able to make informed decisions and save money if airlines are required to be transparent about their fees.

The proposed rule would require US and foreign airlines, as well as third-party online ticket sellers and Aggregators, to clearly disclose passenger specific or itinerary specific baggage fees, change fees, cancellation fees, and family seating fees to consumers whenever fare and schedule information is provided.

Passengers are entitled to a fee refunds if bags are lost but not when delayed. Customers don't usually get refunds for unreliable wi-fi on planes. According to the US DOT's Office of Aviation Consumer Protection, airlines and other third-party companies are usually very slow in giving refunds when they are needed. Extreme delays in providing refunds for flights the airlines canceled or significantly changed will be pursued by the office.

Studies show that airplane wi-fi is expensive. Updating technology in the plane as well as a network of satellites and ground links is difficult. According to some experts, the technology will improve over time, but airlines will have to give refunds if the service is worse than usual.

The rules are open for public comment for 60 days and could take a long time to implement.