Four US Airlines Fined For Inaccurate Compensation Information

The US Department of Transportation has fined Alaska, American, Southwest, and United airlines for providing inaccurate information to passengers about how much compensation they could receive.

American was fined USD$45,000, Alaska and Southwest were fined USD$40,000 each, and United USD$35,000, the department said in a statement.

The fines are for inaccurate information on denied boarding and for lost, damaged, or delayed baggage.

“We are committed to ensuring that air travellers know the rules and have accurate information about compensation when they are bumped from flights and for lost, damaged, or delayed baggage,” US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement.

Under DOT rules, passengers are eligible for compensation when they are involuntarily bumped from an oversold flight. Airlines must provide passengers with a written statement explaining the terms, conditions, and limitations of denied boarding compensation, and describing the carriers’ boarding priority rules and criteria.