US probing 18 airlines over delayed refund complaints

The US DoT said Thursday it has 18 pending investigations against airlines over complaints that they failed to provide timely refunds during the COVID-19 pandemic. The department said in a report to the White House it was still reviewing 30,100 complaints involving 18 airlines out of 20 investigations it had initially opened. It did not name the airlines. “The department has devoted considerable time, energy, and effort to securing relief for consumers and holding airlines accountable,” it said in the report. The department noted it had concluded investigations into complaints involving Air Canada and United. In June, the department said it was seeking a $25.5m fine from Air Canada over the carrier’s failure to provide timely refunds to thousands of consumers who requested them for flights to or from the United States. Air Canada has urged the department to dismiss the complaint saying the department’s “arbitrary conduct flatly contradicts years of well-established law.” The department said on Thursday that settlement negotiations with Air Canada “are continuing.” Air Canada did not immediately comment. In June, the Transportation Department said it was investigating the refund practices of an undisclosed number of US and foreign carriers flying to and from the United States and would take “enforcement action” as appropriate. In January, the department ended its probe into United after the carrier “took prompt corrective actions, resulting in thousands of passengers who had initially been denied refunds receiving the required refunds in or around June 2020.”<br/>