Senators ask DOT to remove expiration date for pandemic-related flight credits

A pair of US senators are asking the Biden administration to intervene and remove expiration dates on flight credits issued to airline passengers during the coronavirus pandemic. Democratic Sens. Ed Markey of Massachusetts and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut on Wednesday asked the US Department of Transportation to determine that it is unfair to customers to place expiration dates on the credits. Two Democratic congressmen, Steve Cohen of Tennessee and Jesus "Chuy" Garcia of Illinois, also signed the letter. Federal law allows the department to prohibit "unfair or deceptive practices." Consumer complaints about refunds skyrocketed during the pandemic -- while taxpayers provided more than $50b to airlines to cover payroll expenses and offered billions more in loans. The senators' request comes as the airline industry says passengers are using many of the credits. The industry group Airlines for America told Markey and Blumenthal last month that "approximately half of all credits issued since summer 2019 for travel slated to occur during the pandemic have been redeemed" and the "redemptions account for 10-15 percent of monthly ticket sales." The remaining outstanding value of unexpired flight credits is unclear. In financial statements earlier this year, American Airlines and United reported a combined $5.7b in credits as of December 31. <br/>