US: New rules require airlines to automatically refund consumers for cancelled flights

economictimes.indiatimes.com:

Biden administration on Wednesday issued new rules that require airlines to provide automatic cash refunds to passengers when owed and protect consumers from costly surprise fees. «Too often, airlines drag their feet on refunds or rip folks off with junk fees. It is time Americans got a better deal. Today, my administration is requiring that airlines provide automatic refunds to passengers when they are owed and protect them from surprise fees,» Biden said in a video statement. «This is about airlines treating passengers better and it will save people more than half-a-billion dollars, avoiding unwanted, expensive, unnecessary surprise airline fees,» said Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Biden said his administration is holding airlines accountable and bringing costs down for American families. «This is just one part of my administration's plan to prevent companies from playing the American people for suckers. It matters,» he said.

The White House said these rules will significantly expand consumer protections in air travel, provide passengers an easier pathway to refunds when owed and save consumers more than half-a-billion dollars every year in hidden and surprise junk fees. The rules are part of the Biden-Harris administration's work to lower costs for consumers and take on corporate rip-offs, it said.
The new rules require airlines to automatically issue refunds, without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops.