The DOT is taking a tougher enforcement tack on travel agents' codeshare disclosure violations just as there is a changing of the guard looming at the top of the department. Coincidence? We doubt it. But, making codeshares more transparent is long overdue.
We don't know who these 10 agencies are, likely all offline ones. DoT has of late become a lot stricter on enforcing the decade-plus old rule, and with humans involved with travel agencies, enforcement becomes an issue.
It's going to be a crazy week ahead as both sides posture about sequestration, and the shape of the aviation system over the next year hangs in the balance.
The newspaper reports and ensuing passenger worries will likely move most U.S. voters towards the center and towards the president in the current budget debate.
Many DOT fines result from airlines’ on-the-ground operations failing to carry out small steps, which suggests better communication could results in savings of thousands of dollars.
The torrent of bag fees means fewer bags to mishandle, and DOT liability increases gave airlines a bigger kick in the behind to get their act together.
DOT violations highlight only the most extreme cases of consumer infractions and don't account for the many lost bags, delayed flights, or unfriendly staff that impact consumers' view of either airline.
This U.S. Department of Transportation has passed the most consumer-friendly regulations in the history of U.S. aviation, but that doesn't stop airlines from breaking the rules.