Lawmakers Look to Punish Airlines for Leaving Passengers Stranded and Delaying Flights

U.S. airline delays or stranding passengers will be subject to harsher penalties from the law makers.

Senators believe it can be made law this time.

This latest move follows outrage at debacles such as the one at Southwest Airlines December

The “passenger bill of rights” This is being presented by Edward Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Democrats.

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Democrats Richard Blumenthal, Connecticut, and Edward Markey, Massachusetts (Getty images / Getty Images)

It will permit customers to file class action lawsuits against airlines, and it will also allow them to introduce legislation to reduce airline fees.

A trade group for the largest U.S. airlines It is not happy with it and launches a fierce attack on the legislation.

Airlines for America spokeswoman, stating that the industry is competitive and in the best interests of consumers.

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Denver International Airport, Dec. 27, 2022: Travelers queue up to drop their bags at the Southwest Airlines check in counter. Senators want to impose harsher penalties on U.S. airlines that strand or delay passengers. ( (AP Photo/David Zalubowski, File) / AP Newsroom)

“This bill undermines and eliminates decades of successful policies that have transformed air travel, allowing the vast majority of Americans to take flight,” Marli Collier, the spokesperson, said that. “The proposed policies in this bill — instituting government-controlled pricing, establishing a private right of action and dictating private sector contracts — would drastically decrease competition, leading to a subsequent increase in airfare prices and potential cut in services to small and rural communities.”

These proposals were unsuccessful in the past. The lawmakers believe they can succeed again by attaching the ideas to the must-pass legislation necessary to reauthorize Federal Aviation Administration.

Southwest cancelled 16,700 flights in December. Travel plans likely to be affected For approximately 2 million people, it took more than one week to recover after a winter storm. 

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FOX Business received the following statement from a spokesperson for Southwest

“We empower Southwest Employees to lean in and take care of our Customers guided by a simple philosophy of doing the right thing, which has served us well throughout our long and proud 51-year history of offering world-class Customer Service”.

Southwest estimates that the disruption to holiday travel will cost approximately $1.1 billion.

“The airlines need to be given some incentives to do the right thing, and consumers need protection,” Blumenthal spoke to reporters.

At Midway International Airport in Chicago, hundreds of Southwest Airlines checked bags have been piled up at baggage claim.  ( (AP Photo/Erin Hooley, File) / AP Newsroom)

Blumenthal’s proposal would establish $1,350 as minimum compensation for passengers who are bumped from flights that were not sold. Customers whose flights are delayed for less than an hour would be eligible to receive alternate transportation or reimbursement for out-of-pocket expenses.

The bill would allow consumers to file class action lawsuits, and remove caps on the fines that can be imposed by the government for airlines violating consumer-protection law.

Markey proposes separate fees to limit what the airline has to pay for the service.

This report was contributed by The Associated Press.

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